Police raid Dayton game rooms

[Betty72102]

By VANESA BRASHIER
Updated: 09.17.09

Dayton Police Department, in a joint effort with several other law enforcement agencies, raided two Dayton businesses Thursday morning and arrested three people on charges related to operating a gambling establishment.

Arrested were Lakhvir Singh, 24, Muhammed Umer Azam, 30, and John Pittapilli-Varkey, 66. The search and arrest warrants were signed by 253rd District Judge Chap Cain III.

Police seized motherboards from nine machines and an undisclosed amount of cash associated with gambling. Singh and Azam were arrested at the Exxon station at the intersection of US 90 and Main Street. Pittapilli-Varkey was arrested at the Dayton Drive-Thru on SH 146.

All have been charged with promotion of gambling, possession of gambling devices and operating a gambling establishment. According to Sgt. John Coleman of Dayton PD, Thursday’s arrests were an “on-going investigation over the last couple of months.”

Coleman went on to say, “Dayton Police Department feels that gambling machines are an attractive nuisance to the criminal element. Gambling attracts organized crime. This is preventative maintenance.”

Assisting in the investigation and execution of the search warrants are Liberty County Precinct 6 Constable’s Office, Precinct 2 Constable’s Office, Cleveland Police Department and the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission.

Photo: Sgt. John Coleman of Dayton Police Department and Sgt. Ralph Fuller with the Pct. 6 Constable’s Office in Cleveland try to cut a lock from a gaming machine at the Dayton Drive-Thru, one of two businesses that were raided on Thursday morning due to allegations of illegal gambling practices. Also raided was the Exxon station at the corner of US 90 and Main Street in Dayton. Pictured in the background are Pct. 6 Constable Royce Wheeler and Det. Sgt. Doug O’Quinn with Dayton Police Department. Cleveland Police Department, Pct. 2 Constable’s Office and the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission also were represented in the raid.