The North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement Branch charged a Thomasville corporation and seven of its employees with operating an illegal gaming enterprise.
The charges were a result of an undercover investigation of Real Deal Enterprises that was conducted by ALE and the Thomasville Police Department. During the investigation it was learned that Real Deal Enterprises was operating more than 100 illegal sweepstakes server-based gaming machines at two gaming locations. This information led to search warrants being executed at the Real Deal corporate office and the two gaming locations on May 21, 2015.
The locations searched included the Real Deal Enterprises Office, 106 Marywood Drive, High Point, the Real Deal, 1401 National Highway, Suite B, Thomasville, and the Real Deal 2, 1004 Ball Park Road, Thomasville.
ALE and the Thomasville Police Department were assisted with the execution of the search warrants by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the High Point Police Department. Items seized during the searches included firearms, illegal gaming machines and $575,262.
ALE and the Thomasville Police Department worked with the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office throughout the duration of the investigation.
“ALE joined with our law enforcement partners to address the illegal operation of these gambling establishments. These locations were operating machines that are illegal to possess and the games they were running have no oversight or checks and balances to ensure they are being operated fairly,” said ALE Special Agent in Charge Mike Yates.
On a related note, Real Deal Enterprises Inc. was operating Frontier Sweepstakes Software at its two Real Deal Sweepstake locations. Frontier Software Systems LLC, Bobby Mosley Sr., and Jerome Michael Caldwell, both from South Carolina, were indicted for operating an illegal gambling business and money laundering in October of 2013 by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Internal Revenue Service.
Caldwell entered into a plea agreement for accessory after the fact to transportation of gambling machines in interstate commerce and Mosley and Frontier Software Systems LLC, entered into plea agreements in U.S. District Court in South Carolina for money laundering. An agreement was made to forfeit 20 million dollars in U.S. currency to the United States Government for the illegal operations.
On October 29, 2015, Real Deal Enterprises, Inc. and the following employees were charged:
Real Deal Enterprises Inc.
- Feloniously operate more than five server-based gaming machines (2 counts)
- Feloniously possess five or more server-based gaming machines (2 counts)
- Place in operation an electronic machine to promote a sweepstakes that is conducted through an entertaining display (4 counts)
- Gambling (2 counts)
Brenda Joy Lattz
(corporate manager/owner), 52, High Point, NC.
- Feloniously operate five or more server-based gaming machines (2 counts)
- Feloniously possess five or more gaming terminals (2 counts)
- Place in operation an electronic machine to promote a sweepstakes that is conducted through an entertaining display (4 counts)
- Gambling (2 counts)
Jason Scott Steffek
(manager), 34, Jamestown, NC.
- Feloniously operate five or more server-based gaming machines (2 counts)
- Feloniously possess five or more server-based gaming machines (2 counts)
- Place in operation an electronic machine to promote a sweepstakes that is conducted through an entertaining display (4 counts)
- Gambling (2 counts)
Carole Ann White
(employee), 42, High Point, NC.
- Feloniously operate five or more server-based gaming machines
- Feloniously possess five or more server-based gaming machines
- Place in operation an electronic machine to promote a sweepstakes that is conducted through an entertaining display (2 counts)
- Gambling
Jamilia Michelle Johnson
(employee), 24, High Point, NC.
- Feloniously operate five or more server-based gaming machines
- Feloniously possess five or more server-based gaming machines
- Place in operation an electronic machine to promote a sweepstakes that is conducted through an entertaining display (2 counts)
- Gambling
Kelly Suzanne Ketison
(employee), 47, Thomasville, NC.
- Feloniously operate five or more server-based gaming machines
- Feloniously possess five or more server-based gaming machines
- Place in operation an electronic machine to promote a sweepstakes that is conducted through an entertaining display (2 counts)
- Gambling
Tamara Denise Patterson
(employee), 38, High Point, NC.
- Feloniously operate five or more server-based gaming machines
- Feloniously possess five or more server-based gaming machines
- Place in operation an electronic machine to promote a sweepstakes that is conducted through an entertaining display (2 counts)
- Gambling
Brandon Dale Stephens
(employee), 27, Kernersville, NC.
- Feloniously operate five or more server-based gaming machines
- Feloniously possess five or more server-based gaming machines
- Place in operation an electronic machine to promote a sweepstakes that is conducted through an entertaining display (2 counts)
- Gambling
- Possession of firearm by convicted felon