The Sheriff’s Office, according to Spalding County Sheriff Wendell Beam, conducted a six-week compliance inspection of businesses located in the city and county that have video game machines.
Under Georgia state law, Beam said, it is not illegal for businesses to have the game machines in operation, but it is illegal if they pay out in cash, tobacco products, alcohol or lottery tickets or numbers for the pay-out on winning tickets from the game machines.
During this operation five businesses were found to be in violation of the commercial gambling laws of the state of Georgia by paying cash for credits earned on the game machines. On Wednesday, June 13, Beam said deputies executed five search warrants at the following businesses and made the following arrests for commercial gambling:
• Expressway Food Mart, 2903 North Expressway, a clerk identified as Natalie Duncan, 52, of 1185 School Road, Griffin.
• Super Speedway, 678 North Expressway, clerk/owner identified as Eljaan Abdulkader, 47, of 173 Parkside Drive, Stockbridge.
• 10th and Taylor BP station, 401 W. Taylor St., clerk identified as Lisa Green, 49, of 217 W. Quilly St., Griffin.
• Q and Q Brothers BP station, 436 North Expressway, clerk/owner identified as Quddods Quabeer, 29, 51 Town Place, Fayetteville.
At the fifth business, Sunoco Food Mart, 2295 North Expressway, a commercial gambling violation arrest is pending for the clerk.
A sixth business, Super Foods, 2529 Old Atlanta Road, remains under investigation at this time for violations of commercial gambling. Prior to the search, Beam said, investigators learned that the business had removed all of the game machines.
According to investigators, Beam said, the clerk who committed the violation of commercial gambling laws may possibly be arrested.
Beam said compliance inspections will continue for all businesses operating the game machines and more investigations into the illegal gambling will take place.
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