Raids net video poker machines

Undercover operation results in four arrests at A's Convenience Store, D&M's Gifts and Games

Web posted Wednesday, December 6, 2000

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By Sylvia Cooper
Staff Writer

Officers raided two Augusta businesses Tuesday, arresting four people and confiscating eight video poker machines, said a Richmond County Sheriff's Department vice investigator.

The raids, a continuation of the city's war on video poker, were the result of an undercover operation in which officers were awarded cash payments from video poker, Investigator Roderick Berry said.

Officers raided A's Convenience Store at 1857-A Gordon Highway and arrested clerk Junnie S. Brown, 42, of the 1200 block of Clark Road, charging her with two felony counts of commercial gambling, Investigator Berry said.

They also arrested clerk Barbara McGruder, 35, of the 1200 block of Clark Road, and charged her with one felony count of commercial gambling, Investigator Berry said.

Officers confiscated three video poker machines from that store, he said.

The store is owned by Ki Hwan Kim, 39, of the 4600 block of Old Savannah Road, and the sheriff's department will seek to have the Augusta Commission revoke the store's beer and wine license, Investigator Berry said.

Officers also raided D&M's Gifts and Games at 2566-A Lumpkin Road and arrested Patricia Mills, 52, of the 2400 block of Ridge Road, and charged her with four counts of commercial gambling, Investigator Berry said.

``It was supposed to have been a gift shop, but they had five video poker machines,'' he said. ``And the individual in that place paid off with cash four times within the past week.''

During that raid, owner Cheryl Williamson was arrested and charged with obstruction of an officer for trying to withhold evidence - cash and a gun, the investigator said.

``I asked her several times for it, and asked her if she had it on her, and she kept denying it, and finally I felt something on her, and we retrieved it,'' he said.

Officers seized $1,556 in cash and five video poker machines from D&M's, Investigator Berry said. He had not counted the money seized from A's Convenience store, he said.

Reach Sylvia Cooper at (706) 823-3228.

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