Five indiviuals have been arrested and charged with Class D Felony Keeping a Gaming House after investigators discovered 33 gaming machines that were making cash payouts at two separate billards parlors in Fort Smith.
The Sebastian County Prosecutiors Office issued a press release on Wednesday that says numerous agencies were working on an unreleated investigations when they discovered thirteen of the machines at Buckets Billards, 34711 Grand Avenue, and an additional twenty machines at Classic Billards, 1310 Zero Street.
Five men, ranging in ages for 28 to 67, were arrested in conjunction with the raids which saw all of the machines and $62, 621.06 in cash seized. The search warrants were administered simultaneously on April 16.
Those arrested included:
-Michael Kay Eakin, 67, of Fort Smith
-Ronald Wright, 60, of Alma
-Edwin Donald Eddins, 57, of Pocola
-Chad Edward Bandy, 44, of Spiro
-Bryce Aaron Bandy, 28 of Spiro
Each of the five suspects bonded out of jail on a $25,000 leggal sufficent bond.
In addition, eleven other people were arrested on misdemeanor charges of Betting on a Gaming Device.
The five individuals with felony charges will be arrainged April 28 in Sebastian County Circuit Court.
The investigation by the Twelfth Judicial Drug Task Force, Arkansas State Police, Sebastian Coounty Sheriff Office, the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney and various other law enforcement agencies is ongoing in regards to these illegal activies, according to the press release.
