This morning the Cyberspot Internet Sweepstakes cafe in Dunedin and several other towns in Florida were raided by the Sheriff's office and the FDLE. We had a chance to interview one of the patrons and several of the business owners. This was a cafe that offered sweepstakes play online in a retail outlet. Inside they had a nonprofit charity that was registered with the secretary of state of Florida as the beneficiary of the proceeds. From what we saw, the state or at least this county ( Pinellas) Thinks its gambling. Those that remember the "Largo Eight" a group of elderly guys playing penny ante poker were prosecuted back in the early 90's. So the question is... Is the Pinellas County Sheriff trying to protect the elderly from being swindled out of their Social security?? Or, is this another example of a "Blue Law" being enforced because the county isn't in on the take!!!

Press Release from the Pinellas Sheriff's office:

Internet Gambling Investigation Results In Three Arrests Along With The Seizure Of Computers And Cash

Release Number: 08-155

Who:
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
Investigative Operations Bureau
- Narcotics Division
Patrol Operations Bureau
- Strategic Tactical Analytical Response (S.T.A.R.) Team
Crime Scene Investigation

Florida Department of Law Enforcement

Steven G. Duke (Manager of Mike's Internet Cafe)
DOB: 02/19/1956
Address: 12800 Vonn Road Apartment #5954 Largo
Arrested on one felony count of maintaining gambling establishment and 52 counts of misdemeanor possession of a coin operated device.

Zbigniew Skwara (Owner/operator of Cyber Pal Cafe)
DOB: 04/18/1958
Address: 443 Pent Street, Tarpon Springs
Arrested on one felony count of maintaining gambling establishment and 20 counts of misdemeanor possession of a coin operated device.

James Michael Hill (Regional manager for Hot Spots Cyber Center)
DOB: 11/14/1978
Address: 236 Dornoch Street, Davenport, Florida
Arrested on one felony count of maintaining gambling establishment and 60 counts of misdemeanor possession of a coin operated device.

What: Three men have been arrested by detectives assigned to the Sheriff's Office Narcotics Division who also seized cash and computers while serving search warrants as part of an Internet gambling investigation.

Where: The search warrants were served at three locations in mid and north Pinellas County. The businesses were identified as:
- Mike's Internet Café located at 10251 Seminole Boulevard in Seminole
- Cyber Pal Café located at 32700 US Hwy 19 North in Palm Harbor
- Hot Spots Cyber Center located at 2636 Bayshore Drive in Dunedin

When: The search warrants were part of an 8-month long investigation and were served between 10:00 and 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 28, 2008.

How/Why:

Three men have been arrested by detectives assigned to the Sheriff's Office Narcotics Division who also seized cash and computers while serving search warrants as part of an Internet gambling investigation. The search warrants were served between 10:00 and 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at three locations in mid and north Pinellas County. In addition to making arrests detectives seized evidence including a total of 139 computers and over $14,000 in cash.

According to detectives the investigation began after several complaints were received alleging that illegal gambling activity was taking place at the businesses. The businesses were identified as Mike's Internet Café located at 10251 Seminole Boulevard in Seminole, the Cyber Pal Café located at 32700 US Hwy 19 North in Palm Harbor, and the Hot Spots Cyber Center located at 2636 Bayshore Drive in Dunedin. Detectives conducted spot checks at each location as part of the investigation prior to serving the search warrants.

Detectives say that patrons of the businesses were permitted to purchase telephone cards or Internet service time which was then converted into points which they could use to play “Vegas Style“ computer games on computers at each location. For each dollar spent patrons received 100 points which they could use to play about a dozen different slot, bingo, or keno games. Any points won by the patron during play were redeemed for cash on site.

While serving the warrants detectives arrested 52-year-old Steven Duke of Largo on one felony count of maintaining a gambling establishment and 52 counts of misdemeanor possession of a coin operated device on Duke is the manager of Mike's Internet Café in Seminole. They also arrested 50-year-ol Zbigniew Skwara on one felony count of maintaining a gambling establishment and 20 counts of misdemeanor possession of a coin operated device. Detectives say Skwara is the owner and operator of the Cyber Pal Café in Palm Harbor. Also arrested was 29-year-old James Michael Hill on one felony count of maintaining a gambling establishment and 60 counts of misdemeanor possession of a coin operated device. Hill is reportedly the regional manager for the Hot Spots Cyber Center in Dunedin.

The investigation continues.

To view each suspect's booking photograph, click the following links (or copy and paste the link into a browser address bar):

http://www.pcsoweb.com/InmateBooking/SubjectResults.aspx?id=1305536

http://www.pcsoweb.com/InmateBooking/SubjectResults.aspx?id=1305525

http://www.pcsoweb.com/InmateBooking/SubjectResults.aspx?id=1305545This morning the Cyberspot Internet Sweepstakes cafe in Dunedin and several other towns in Florida were raided by the Sheriff's office and the FDLE. We had a chance to interview one of the patrons and several of the business owners. This was a cafe that offered sweepstakes play online in a retail outlet. Inside they had a nonprofit charity that was registered with the secretary of state of Florida as the beneficiary of the proceeds. From what we saw, the state or at least this county ( Pinellas) Thinks its gambling. Those that remember the "Largo Eight" a group of elderly guys playing penny ante poker were prosecuted back in the early 90's. So the question is... Is the Pinellas County Sheriff trying to protect the elderly from being swindled out of their Social security?? Or, is this another example of a "Blue Law" being enforced because the county isn't in on the take!!!

Press Release from the Pinellas Sheriff's office:

Internet Gambling Investigation Results In Three Arrests Along With The Seizure Of Computers And Cash

Release Number: 08-155

Who:
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
Investigative Operations Bureau
- Narcotics Division
Patrol Operations Bureau
- Strategic Tactical Analytical Response (S.T.A.R.) Team
Crime Scene Investigation

Florida Department of Law Enforcement

Steven G. Duke (Manager of Mike's Internet Cafe)
DOB: 02/19/1956
Address: 12800 Vonn Road Apartment #5954 Largo
Arrested on one felony count of maintaining gambling establishment and 52 counts of misdemeanor possession of a coin operated device.

Zbigniew Skwara (Owner/operator of Cyber Pal Cafe)
DOB: 04/18/1958
Address: 443 Pent Street, Tarpon Springs
Arrested on one felony count of maintaining gambling establishment and 20 counts of misdemeanor possession of a coin operated device.

James Michael Hill (Regional manager for Hot Spots Cyber Center)
DOB: 11/14/1978
Address: 236 Dornoch Street, Davenport, Florida
Arrested on one felony count of maintaining gambling establishment and 60 counts of misdemeanor possession of a coin operated device.

What: Three men have been arrested by detectives assigned to the Sheriff's Office Narcotics Division who also seized cash and computers while serving search warrants as part of an Internet gambling investigation.

Where: The search warrants were served at three locations in mid and north Pinellas County. The businesses were identified as:
- Mike's Internet Café located at 10251 Seminole Boulevard in Seminole
- Cyber Pal Café located at 32700 US Hwy 19 North in Palm Harbor
- Hot Spots Cyber Center located at 2636 Bayshore Drive in Dunedin

When: The search warrants were part of an 8-month long investigation and were served between 10:00 and 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 28, 2008.

How/Why:

Three men have been arrested by detectives assigned to the Sheriff's Office Narcotics Division who also seized cash and computers while serving search warrants as part of an Internet gambling investigation. The search warrants were served between 10:00 and 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at three locations in mid and north Pinellas County. In addition to making arrests detectives seized evidence including a total of 139 computers and over $14,000 in cash.

According to detectives the investigation began after several complaints were received alleging that illegal gambling activity was taking place at the businesses. The businesses were identified as Mike's Internet Café located at 10251 Seminole Boulevard in Seminole, the Cyber Pal Café located at 32700 US Hwy 19 North in Palm Harbor, and the Hot Spots Cyber Center located at 2636 Bayshore Drive in Dunedin. Detectives conducted spot checks at each location as part of the investigation prior to serving the search warrants.

Detectives say that patrons of the businesses were permitted to purchase telephone cards or Internet service time which was then converted into points which they could use to play “Vegas Style” computer games on computers at each location. For each dollar spent patrons received 100 points which they could use to play about a dozen different slot, bingo, or keno games. Any points won by the patron during play were redeemed for cash on site.

While serving the warrants detectives arrested 52-year-old Steven Duke of Largo on one felony count of maintaining a gambling establishment and 52 counts of misdemeanor possession of a coin operated device on Duke is the manager of Mike's Internet Café in Seminole. They also arrested 50-year-ol Zbigniew Skwara on one felony count of maintaining a gambling establishment and 20 counts of misdemeanor possession of a coin operated device. Detectives say Skwara is the owner and operator of the Cyber Pal Café in Palm Harbor. Also arrested was 29-year-old James Michael Hill on one felony count of maintaining a gambling establishment and 60 counts of misdemeanor possession of a coin operated device. Hill is reportedly the regional manager for the Hot Spots Cyber Center in Dunedin.

The investigation continues.

To view each suspect's booking photograph, click the following links (or copy and paste the link into a browser address bar):

http://www.pcsoweb.com/InmateBooking/SubjectResults.aspx?id=1305536

http://www.pcsoweb.com/InmateBooking/SubjectResults.aspx?id=1305525

http://www.pcsoweb.com/InmateBooking/SubjectResults.aspx?id=1305545