News

Three indicted for video gaming violations

Thomas Guthke, Tina Guthke, Patricia Thomason

By , Published: October 4, 2013

Henderson County sheriff's deputies and Hendersonville police officers executed search warrants at two 777 Sweepstakes video gaming parlors in Henderson County on Thursday and arrested a Hendersonville couple and a store operator from Greer, S.C.

A Henderson County grand jury indicted the owner-operators of 777 Sweepstakes at 4193 Haywood Road in Mills River, Thomas Albert Guthke, 43, and Tina Jacobs Guthke, 47, of 98 Spicebush Ct., Hendersonville, and the owner-operator 777 Sweepstakes, at 620 Upward Road, Hendersonville, Patricia Thomason, 62, of Greer, S.C.

The search warrants and arrests resulted from a long-term investigation into illegal video gaming and gambling at the businesses. Detectives with the Henderson County Sheriff's Office said the operators of the video parlors violated state law that bars video gaming machines and gambling.

Deputies discovered 37 video gaming machines at the Mills River location and 33 video gaming machines at the Upward Road location. They seized cash from both locations were.

The Guthkes and Thomason were jailed under $1,000 bonds.