Winter Texans caught in 8-liner raid: "The Cameron County DA's anti-gambling task force has struck again"
Law enforcement is stopping viejitos from pumping money into our economy. They will be forced to play Lotto Texas or Mega Millions, which don't bring money to the Valley. We won't tolerate gambling in Texas.
4 comments:
I say, bust'em all. Who cares if they are winter texans. You think they would give a rats ass if us hispanics were up north taking part in illegal gambeling??
Do you think they would say, "oh poor hispanics, there just trying to have a good time.."?
I fully support the closing and arresting ILLEGAL activity.
Bravo DA. Bravo.
Is there still a 'undercover' casino still operating in Los Fresnos under the guies of a restaurant???
You won't imagin who is running it...talk about balls..or stupidity.
stay tuned...
*Yawn*
Illegal gambling is the LEAST of the RGV's problems these days.
The sympathy factor doesn't stem from the fact that they're old and white. Winter Texans pump tons of money into our economy. I see absolutely no harm in letting them waste their cash on crappy machines that never pay out.
Denise,
I'm not going to tell you again...cover that ugly face!!!
Least of the RGV problems??
Not when public officials are involved. Not when Chiefs of Police are involved. Not when county judges are involved. Not when JP's are involved.
These are the articles. Please read.
http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/ts_more.php?id=68869_0_10_0_C
JP's owning an illegal casino. Please read.
http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/ts_more.php?id=68914_0_10_0_C
Chief of police invloved? Here is the article. (Sorry I don't have the link)
Security firm with ties to police chief, casino under investigation
BY EMMA PEREZ-TREVIÑO
The Brownsville Herald
January 20, 2006 — A county anti-gambling task force is investigating a security company linked to both the Los Fresnos police chief and the operator of a casino that was raided recently.
Public records show that Los Fresnos Police Chief James Harris III owns Coastal Security & Protection in North Brownsville, but Goldmine arcade operator Eduardo Rene Peña claims he owns it as well.
Agents with the anti-gambling task force and the FBI raided Goldmine at 1005 S. Arroyo Blvd. in Los Fresnos on Jan. 6, and arrested Peña, 31, and his wife Veronica B. Peña, 27, both of Los Fresnos, on gambling and unlawful possession of a weapon charges.
Following their arrests, Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos said the task force would attempt to seize the building housing the arcade. Records showed that former McAllen mayor Leo Montalvo of McAllen owns the property.
Villalobos said the task force would investigate two other businesses linked to Peña: the security company and a limousine service.
Villalobos said his office feels the businesses were the result of the gaming operations.
County public records reflect that Harris is the sole owner of the security firm. Harris registered the firm in March 2005.
But, ownership of Coastal Security at 1213 Alton Gloor Blvd. is in dispute.
Peña’s attorney, Michael Young, maintains that Peña owns the security business and had “no comment” when asked Thursday if his client was a silent partner.
Harris isn’t talking and on Wednesday said he fears his comments would be taken out of context, but he declined to forward a written statement. (he should have never given that interview on channel 5)
“The security company is owned and operated by Eddie Peña and does have legitimate and viable contracts to provide security with several entities, both private and public governmental institutions,” Young said.
Terry Vinson of Los Fresnos and Harris are listed as owners/managers of the security firm with the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Private Security Board.
Peña’s name does not appear.
“There is only one owner (Harris) as far as the state record, and I’m not the owner. I’m the manager,” Vinson said via telephone from Beaumont where he was working security.
Vinson is a long-time law enforcement officer and has made the rounds in southern Cameron County as police chief and interim police chief in Palm Valley, Indian Lake and Los Fresnos. He also has been a candidate for county sheriff and county judge.
“Harris wants to get rid of it,” Vinson said of the security firm, claiming that Harris is transferring ownership to him. Vinson said the Alton Gloor office was closed this week and is operating the security business from his office in Los Fresnos.
“I never saw or dealt with Peña,” Vinson said, maintaining he has no knowledge that Peña could be a silent partner. “As far as the financing (for the security company), I don’t know anything about the financing.
“I’m trying to get things together and get things straight. There will be no partners in my business,” he said.
The security firm had provided outside security at the Goldmine for a few months, Vinson said.
“I don’t believe any of our guards had seen anything (illegal) out there, and I’m sure Harris would have said something,” he said. “I’m sure you can suspect it, but proving it is another story.”
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