Nebraska Plumber Arrested for Casino Gambling in Shop
The recession is truly upon the US when even tradesmen turn to illegal gambling to keep their businesses viable. States are using gaming as a source of emergency funding left and right, but a Nebraska plumber found out the hard way that private citizens don't enjoy the options their governments do when police arrested him for running a casino.Michael Winfrey, a 58-year-old plumber from Grand Isle, Nebraska, was arrested at his shop last week, which is also his home. The plumber was charged with 12 counts of possession of an illegal gaming device, as well as one count of promoting gambling.
Authorities say Winfrey has been running an illegal casino at his business for at least four years. They finally found grounds to arrest the man after serving a warrant for a fugitive who was supposedly believed to be at Wingate's shop.
After entering the premises, sheriff's deputies observed a locked room, watched by surveillance cameras that appeared to show three electronic gambling machines.
They returned six weeks later and served a warrant, this time to grab evidence of illegal gambling. They also took over $2500 in cash, and continued their good works by adding a charge of selling alcohol without a license after finding a Pepsi vending machine filled with beer.
