Alvarez grills chief over gaming raid

By Breyana Segura - Chief Staff Writer | June 26, 2024

“Sounds like bullshit to me…”

A month after Frio County sheriff’s deputies shut down two illegal gambling parlors in Dilley, Councilor Rudy Alvarez is demanding to be told the reasoning behind the raids.
“I asked at the last meeting to inquire why two gambling establishments were raided and why only those two in the whole county,” the councilor said during a Tuesday, June 11, meeting.
Dilley Police Chief Stephen Hernandez said that he had reached out to the sheriff’s department but that the office has declined to release a statement.
“At the end of the day, it is illegal to gamble in the state of Texas,” the police chief said. “It is illegal to operate what we call maquinitas, and pay cash. We do not have any control over what the county raids.”
“Why is it illegal for only those two establishments and not all the other establishments in the county?” Alvarez asked. “They only shut those two down and not the others.”
According to a report filed at the sheriff’s office, deputies executed a search warrant at the Lucky Fox and Lucky Rabbit parlors on Friday, May 3, following a lengthy investigation that was prompted by concerned citizens flooding the department with calls questioning the game rooms’ procedures.

During the course of the investigation, deputies learned of patrons posting their winnings on social media platforms.
Under Texas law, gambling is only legal if the player is in a private place, no one profits from hosting the games, and the risk of losing and chances of winning are the same for all participants.
For those gambling games to be legal in Texas, according to Frio County Chief Deputy Peter Salinas, the games would have to give non-cash rewards such as tokens or tickets, and if traded in, have the cash amount should be no more than 10 times the amount charged to play, or five dollars, whichever is less.
Hernandez said the sheriff’s department was not issuing a statement at the time and gave no explanation.
“It is illegal,” the police chief reiterated for the councilors. “I do not have any control over what maquinitas they close or do not.”
“We wanted to know from the sheriff why those two were targeted and not the other two in the county,” Alvarez said. “Or the other thousands in the state that are operating in the same fashion. Or the ones in Pearsall; they have to answer to the people who elected them.”
Hernandez said the sheriff’s department did not have an obligation to release a statement and added that the decision not to comment may be based on an ongoing investigation into the illegal activity.
“Sounds like bullshit to me,” Alvarez said.
Pearsall police worked in collaboration with the sheriff’s office in July 2022 to shut down a gambling parlor on the outskirts of town after a month-long investigation into alleged illegal drug trade led to the discovery of a cache of narcotics.
Witness statements later confirmed allegations that patrons received monetary payouts for winnings.
According to a report on the case, investigating officers discovered 40 Aplrazolam pills and 30 grams of methamphetamine in the parlor and in the vehicle of employee Juliet Benavidez during the 2022 raid.
Further investigation revealed scales, bags and marijuana in Benavidez’ vehicle.
“As to some of the questions raised by Councilor Alvarez, I can only say that any investigation conducted is not open to his personal thoughts and ideas,” Salinas said during a phone interview Tuesday morning. “Investigations are based on information received and corroborating evidence. As to this specific case, he needs to understand that there are no city ordinances that will supersede the laws of the state of Texas, no matter how much he wishes that they did.”