CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi police executed a search warrant on Wednesday evening at an illegal gameroom at the Sweetwater Club, that resulted in 14 citations being issued and four arrests.
According to police, 21-year-old Madysin Kirkpatrick-Tazby, 26-year-old Eden Pena, 35-year-old Even Pena, and 34-year-old Luis Sandoval were all arrested as a result of Wednesday's raid. All four suspects were charged with Gambling Promotion, Keeping a Gambling Place and Possession of a Gambling Device.
Under Texas law, all three charges are class A misdemeanors, punishable by up to a year in prison and/or a $4,000 fine.
"Three men were additionally charged with Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon after officers discovered they were all armed with handguns during the commission of another crime. Fourteen patrons of the game room were issued warning citations for gambling and released at the scene," said officials in a release.
According to the press release, detectives seized gambling equipment, two vehicles, cash and other evidence of illegal gambling during the raid.
Detectives with CCPD's Narcotics and Vice Investigations Division were joined by officers with the CCPD Operations Division and the Organized Crime Unit. Officials say prosecutors with the Nueces County District Attorney's Office and investigators with the State of Texas Comptroller's Office, which regulates coin-operated machines, assisted in the operation as well.
The Corpus Christi Police Department says they plan to continue to collaborate with local state and federal entities to investigate and hinder illegal gambling throughout the city.
"Investigators will continue to enforce all Texas gambling laws, which will help accomplish our mission to reduce crime, reduce the fear of crime, and to improve the quality of life in our community," said police in their release.
The Sweetwater Club is one of several game rooms under investigation in the City of Corpus Christi since 2020.
Photos of the four suspects arrested can be found below.
