MACON, Ga. — In a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, District Attorney David Cooke announced more business owners charged for illegal gambling operations.
"Search warrants were served at three Macon store locations-- the RJS at 2311 Pio Nono Avenue, Quickserve at 1106 Rocky Creek Road, and the Exxon at 4290 Dellwood Drive," said Cooke.
In total, five people were charged with racketeering, one being a patrol deputy for the Bibb Sheriff's Office.
Deputy Rahim McCarley owns the RJS Store, which is popular to people who live in west Macon.
Yolanda Stafford said she comes here three times a day, and was surprised to hear that the gambling machines were taken away. "It's a lot of us out here that just go by that machine to just get a dollar a day. A lot of people don't understand what I'm saying, but if you run by and you catch it, then you'll understand."
It's illegal to collect cash for winnings on these machines, so Stafford won store credits. "They paid me in a carton of cigarettes, $20 worth of gas, and I bought other little knickknacks out the store, but if I knew he was paying in cash, he would've gave me my cash."
Now that her favorite machines are taken away from here, Stafford says she'll have to find somewhere else to go.
District attorney Cooke says these arrests were just another reason why he's pushing to get rid of gambling machines across the state.
Deputy Rahim McCarley is charged with racketeering.
He's currently suspended with pay while the Department of Revenue continues to investigate him and four other business owners.
Cooke says there could be more arrests to come as the investigation continues.