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Sweepstakes Owner Charged with Felonies After Sheriff’s Raid
Post Date:12/06/2013
| NEWS RELEASE Contact: Dep. Paul Sherwin
Public Information Officer Desk: 919-560-0871 Cell: 919-886-5516 pmsherwin@durhamsheriff.org SWEEPSTAKES OWNER CHARGED WITH FELONIES AFTER SHERIFF’S RAID Durham, NC, Dec. 6, 2013—Sheriff’s deputies yesterday morning raided an Internet sweepstakes café on University Drive after an undercover investigation determined the cafes were operating illegally. The cafe, named University Business Center, located at 4201 University Dr, suite 106, is owned by Jin Sok So, 57, of 2900 Alwoodley Pl, Raleigh. So was inside the sweepstakes café during the 11 a.m. raid and was arrested at the location. He has been charged with gambling, operating electronic sweepstakes, and operating more than five gaming machines—all felonies. He later posted a $5,000 bond following his arrest and was released from the Durham County Jail.
Three customers were inside the café when deputies raided the location. All three received misdemeanor criminal citations for playing a game of chance and were released. “Mr. So and his employees were warned multiple times in person by deputies that the business needed to close. He was warned that we would shut the place down, make arrests, and seize money and equipment if necessary. He chose to ignore the warnings and now he is facing felony charges,” Durham County Sheriff Mike Andrews said. “My office will continue to work in concert with the Durham County district attorney to investigate and prosecute owners, employees and customers alike, who are associated with illegal sweepstakes,” he added. During yesterday’s raid, deputies seized 47 computers, $9,520 cash, numerous prescription narcotics, and hundreds of W-2G tax forms, used for reporting certain gambling winnings, with names and personal information on them. Sheriff’s investigators say additional separate investigations into the prescription narcotics and the tax forms are pending. Sheriff’s deputies previously raided H&S Sweepstakes (3709 Wake Forest Hwy, Durham) on April 5, 2013; and Big Pay Day Sweepstakes (3315 Guess Rd) and EZ Biz Sweepstakes (3500 N Roxboro Rd) on May 9, 2013.
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510 South Dillard Street | P.O. Box 170 | Durham, North Carolina 27702 |