Lee County arrests 10 in multi-state illegal gambling sweep

Lee County authorities dismantled a cross-state gambling ring on Tuesday after executing coordinated search warrants in Florida and Pennsylvania. The joint operation resulted in the arrest of ten individuals and the seizure of nearly $1.6 million in assets.

The action concluded a lengthy investigation into narcotics and financial activities. The Lee County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit partnered with the Florida Gaming Control Commission to target five commercial arcades, two private residences, and specific bank accounts. Undercover work, surveillance, and financial analysis mapped the network's reach from Lee County to Mercer, Pennsylvania.

Officers served warrants at five locations in the Fort Myers area. These included The Royal on Palm Arcade, 777 Arcade, and Spin City Arcade in Fort Myers. They also searched King's Paradise Arcade in North Fort Myers and Sneaky Pete's Lucky 7 Arcade in Bonita Springs. Investigators recovered $30,250 in cash directly from machines inside the Sneaky Pete's and 777 locations.

The total value of seized and identified illicit assets reached $1,589,149. Law enforcement officers took custody of $715,272 in currency. They also seized $661,454 in gold coins and bars, along with $383,573 in frozen bank assets. High-value purses and jewelry were part of the recovery. Officials targeted two residences for civil forfeiture.

Ten vehicles were impounded during the sweep. The list includes a 2017 Bentley Continental, a 2017 BMW 650i, a 2025 BMW i4, and a 2025 Mercedes GLE. Officers also seized a 2017 Cadillac CTS, a 2018 Cadillac Escalade, a 2026 Cadillac Escalade, a 2022 Ford F-250, a 2011 Nissan Armada, and a 2017 Nissan Altima. A search of a Mercer home revealed a large safe containing currency linked to the Florida arcades.

Authorities arrested ten people involved in the ownership, financing, management, and operation of the sites. They also seized 239 illegal slot machines. Sheriff Carmine Marceno stated that the partnership allowed the team to follow the money. "We didn't just target machines; we went after the people, the money, and the infrastructure investigators uncovered," Marceno said. He added that the operation sends a clear message to those who exploit the community for criminal profit.

Alana Zimmer, Executive Director of the Florida Gaming Control Commission, noted that investigators spent months preparing for the enforcement action. Zimmer said the arrests signal that illegal gambling will not be tolerated in Florida. "We will find you, take your illegal slot machines and assets, and put you in jail," Zimmer said.

Officials have not yet disclosed specific court dates or formal bond amounts for the ten suspects. Investigators have not stated whether additional warrants or arrests will occur. Financial analysts continue reviewing the seized bank records and evidence.

Detectives counted stacks of U.S. currency during the search. Gold bars and coins were weighed and valued. The 239 slot machines were removed from the arcades. The ten vehicles were towed from the locations. The investigation continues as analysts process the financial documents recovered from the arcades and the Pennsylvania residence.