239 slot machines, $1.5M, luxury cars seized, 10 busted in Florida gambling investigation
LEE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — Ten people were arrested and 239 illegal slot machines were seized after a months-long investigation into a gambling network operating across Lee County, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said.
Detectives executed coordinated search warrants Oct. 27 at five gambling businesses, residences and other locations in Florida and Pennsylvania, according to the sheriff’s office. The investigation involved the sheriff’s Narcotics and Economic Crimes units, the Florida Gaming Control Commission and law enforcement partners in Pennsylvania.
The businesses targeted were The Royal on Palm Arcade and 777 Arcade in Fort Myers, King’s Paradise Arcade in North Fort Myers, Sneaky Pete’s Lucky 7 Arcade in Bonita Springs and Spin City Arcade in Fort Myers.
Investigators used undercover operations, surveillance, financial analysis and bank records, the sheriff’s office said. The gambling investigation expanded into a racketeering and money-laundering case, with detectives identifying people they said were involved in financing, owning, managing and operating the businesses.
Authorities seized $715,272 in cash and about $661,454 in gold coins and bars. Another $383,573 in bank assets was frozen. The sheriff’s office said detectives also recovered $30,250 from machines at Sneaky Pete’s Lucky 7 Arcade and 777 Arcade.
Ten vehicles were seized, including two Bentleys, a Mercedes-Benz, several Cadillacs and a 2026 Cadillac Escalade. Two residences were targeted for civil forfeiture. Detectives also recovered high-value purses, jewelry and other evidence.
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In Mercer, Pennsylvania, investigators searched a residence and found a large safe containing a substantial amount of cash and jewelry connected to the investigation, the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office identified those arrested as Dennis Martin, Ronald Longo, Timothy Fandry, Melissa Olarte, Dijela Ivezaj, William Holman, Debra Wolovlek, Angela Vittitoe, Harold Hauck Jr. and Stamena Gacevic. The post did not provide their charges or say whether they had attorneys.
Sheriff Carmine Marceno said the agencies followed the money and targeted the people and financial infrastructure investigators connected to the operation. Florida Gaming Control Commission Executive Director Alana Zimmer said investigators from both agencies spent months preparing for the enforcement operation.
The agencies said the investigation is intended to disrupt illegal gambling operations and the criminal networks they may support.