FREMONT, OHIO — Police and state investigators closed down all three internet cafes in the city for alleged illegal gambling with a coordinated raid Saturday night.
Fremont police Chief Tim Wiersma said a five-week investigation into the Lot$-of-Fun, Lucky Dog and Players Club internet cafes led to a search warrant being issued Friday. Wiersma said that a police informant went into each establishment at least three times — most recently Thursday — and received cash payouts for winning games played on the computers.
“It’s not like it’s a secret,” he said.
Saturday, police, along with the Ohio Investigative Unit and Ohio Highway Patrol, searched the three cafes for further evidence that they issued cash payouts and seized all the property including computers, desks, chairs — and money.
“We are taking everything from all three places in town,” Wiersma said. “We intend to take everything that would be attractive to gamblers.”
At Lucky Dog, on West State Street, police were inventorying chairs, desks and other items Saturday night. Meanwhile, Fremont firefighters were in the Players Club on South Fifth Street, disassembling computers and desks and taking things out of the establishment.
New Fremont Mayor Jim Ellis was also at the Players Club, surveying the situation.
“I knew enough as incoming mayor to let the police department do their job, and they appear to have done it well,” Ellis said. “I’m very pleased.”
Theoretically, the cafes are supposed to offer sweepstakes points as prizes, against a prepaid phone card used to access the computers in the cafe. When the police searched the cafes, they talked to people there, some of whom said they also received cash payouts for prizes.
The closures came quickly Saturday, as potential customers were being turned away at the door.
“We’re closed,” a voice said at the Lot$-of-Fun cafe on Oak Harbor Road.
Mike DeWine, who took office this year as Ohio Attorney General, identified oversight of internet gaming facilities as a top priority for his administration.
Email Vince Guerrieri at vguerrie@gannett.com.
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