GALVESTON, Texas -- A law enforcement task force arrested 38 people Sunday in simultaneous raids in two cities at residences suspected of harboring sports bookmakers, authorities said Monday.
Teams formed of 24 members of Galveston and Texas City police, the sheriff’s office, FBI and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration seized $32,600 during the operation, Lt. D.J. Alvarez, a Galveston police spokesman, said.
"They targeted 11 a.m. for a few reasons," Alvarez said. "They figured they’d have people collecting from the day before from college games and people placing bets for pro football games that started at noon."
The arrests in the 4100 block of Avenue S in Galveston and the 200 block of South Westward Street in Texas City weren’t associated with the operation of video slot machines, Alvarez said.
Only one of the 38 people arrested was charged with a felony, Alvarez said.
Bond for Esmaeil Moshtagh, 55, was set at $52,500 on charges of possession of a controlled substance, keeping a gambling place, promotion of gambling, possession of a gambling device and communicating gambling information.
Moshtagh was among 17 people arrested in Galveston, Alvarez said.
Of the 21 people arrested at the Texas City apartment, two were charged with keeping a gambling place.
The remainder were charged with possession of gambling paraphernalia, Alvarez said.
Police wouldn’t comment on a connection between the two raids, except to say police accused the same group of people of bookmaking, Alvarez said.
Galveston County Sheriff Freddie Poor said he had not seen gambling operations on the scale alleged in this raid in the county in his more than 40 years of law enforcement.
Alvarez asked residents to report illegal gambling to Galveston police by calling 409-765-3672.
A law enforcement task force arrested 38 people Sunday in simultaneous raids in two cities at residences suspected of harboring sports bookmakers, authorities said Monday.
Teams formed of 24 members of Galveston and Texas City police, the sheriff’s office, FBI and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration seized $32,600 during the operation, Lt. D.J. Alvarez, a Galveston police spokesman, said.
"They targeted 11 a.m. for a few reasons," Alvarez said. "They figured they’d have people collecting from the day before from college games and people placing bets for pro football games that started at noon."
The arrests in the 4100 block of Avenue S in Galveston and the 200 block of South Westward Street in Texas City weren’t associated with the operation of video slot machines, Alvarez said.
Only one of the 38 people arrested was charged with a felony, Alvarez said.
Bond for Esmaeil Moshtagh, 55, was set at $52,500 on charges of possession of a controlled substance, keeping a gambling place, promotion of gambling, possession of a gambling device and communicating gambling information.
Moshtagh was among 17 people arrested in Galveston, Alvarez said.
Of the 21 people arrested at the Texas City apartment, two were charged with keeping a gambling place.
The remainder were charged with possession of gambling paraphernalia, Alvarez said.
Police wouldn’t comment on a connection between the two raids, except to say police accused the same group of people of bookmaking, Alvarez said.
Galveston County Sheriff Freddie Poor said he had not seen gambling operations on the scale alleged in this raid in the county in his more than 40 years of law enforcement.
Alvarez asked residents to report illegal gambling to Galveston police by calling 409-765-3672.
This story was brought to you thanks to khou.com’s partnership with The Galveston County Daily News.
