Eagle Stop owner hit with gambling charges after raid; charges also filed against Ashland bar owner
The owner of Eagle Stop and an Ashland bar owner face felony gambling charges following a raid on their businesses.Summary
The owner of Eagle Stop convenience stores, Anthony Gier, was charged with four felony counts of promoting illegal gambling after a raid on a Columbia store. The charges were brought in Boone County, and a separate case was filed in Miller County. Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced the charges and stated that the seized machines did not belong to the provider, Torch Electronics. A second case was filed against Keith Winscott, owner of Woody's Pub and Grub in Ashland, who was charged with five felony counts of first-degree promoting gambling. The sting operation resulted in the seizure of nearly $60,000 in illegal funds from 35 devices across five businesses. Hanaway described the industry as a "$1 billion industry" that is unregulated and untaxed. Police Chief Jill Schlude warned that illegal machines often lead to other crimes, such as robbery and counterfeiting. Hanaway advised those still operating the devices to shut them down to avoid harsher penalties.
(Source：ABC17News.com)