Illegal gambling operation uncovered in San Jose
SAN JOSE (KGO) -- In the South Bay, police officers responding to an assault call at a San Jose home didn't find a fight going on, but they hit the jackpot when they looked inside the house. What they found was reminiscent of a small casino.
Illegal gambling machines aren't that uncommon in San Jose, they pop up from time to time, but now the vice unit is trying to figure out how so many got inside a home.
Living next to an illegal casino has its price:
"The only problem we had is all the time this parking lot was full with cars and cars and we just saw people going in and going out," said Adrian Herrera, neighbor.
San Jose police discovered the gambling operation Tuesday afternoon when they were called out for an altercation at the home on the 100 block of South Capitol Avenue.
Inside they found 15 slot and video poker machines drugs and many people -- some who decided to run. Twenty were detained, eight were arrested on outstanding warrants and the gambling machines were impounded as evidence.
"Each machine can bring in several thousand dollars a week and that's all illegal gambling money," said San Jose Police Sgt. Heather Randoll.
Police say they have not arrested anyone yet for illegal gambling, but are looking into who purchased the machines and where they came from. Several people were at the home Thursday morning along with two dogs in the back. Surveillance cameras were on the outside, while inside someone was peering out at ABC7 News with binoculars. Several people left, but wouldn't talk to ABC7 News -- saying they didn't live there.
Although busy, neighbors say they didn't know and didn't go looking into what was going on inside the home. That was just one gamble they didn't want to take.
"In this case the less you know the more you safe you are. So that's pretty much why," said Herrera.
It's a misdemeanor to possess an illegal gambling machine, but police are more concerned about the criminal activity that comes with it including violence.
