19 arrested in OC gambling cafe crackdown

WESTMINSTER, Calif. (KABC) -- The Orange County District Attorney's Office announced multiple arrests in a crackdown on gambling devices in Garden Grove cafes.

Nineteen defendants were arrested following a three-month investigation by several law-enforcement agencies, including the California Department of Justice Bureau of Gaming Control, Federal Bureau of Investigation, California Franchise Tax Board and Garden Grove, Westminster and other police departments.

The defendants are charged with misdemeanor counts of possession of an unlawful gaming device, possession or control of a slot machine.

All 19 defendants were arraigned in a Westminster court Tuesday.

Each of the defendants face a maximum sentence of six months in jail and $1,000 fine if convicted, according to the D.A.'s office.

Authorities seized 186 illegal gambling machines and $140,000 in cash, according to Garden Grove police and prosecutors.

City News Service contributed to this report.

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