Jesus Abreu, Odalys Abreu, Angel Padron, Juan Martinez, and Kenia Hernandez of Miami-Dade, Florida were arrested Wednesday for allegedly operating an illegal gambling ring out of a cafeteria, news sources report. Jesus Abreu, 64, and his wife, Odalys Abreu, 46, were booked into the Miami-Dade County Jail on charges of keeping a house of gambling, possession of prohibited coin-making machines, bookmaking, and gambling; Padron, 70, and Martinez, 62, were booked on charges of being agents of running a house of gambling and gambling; and Hernandez, 38, faces charges of obstructing justice and resisting arrest without violence. Jesus Abreu is being held on $14,000 bond, Odalys Abreu on $15,500, Padron on $13,000, and Martinez on $15,500. Hernandez's bail was set at $1,000. It is not yet known whether any of the defendants has hired a lawyer.
According to reports, Jesus and Odalys Abreu own and operate OK Minimarket in the 3000 block of Southwest 107th Avenue in Southwest Miami-Dade. Sources say Jesus also runs a slot machine company that his wife owns. Detectives received word recently that slot and sports gambling machines, also known as "maquinitas," were being offered for general use at the OK Minimarket.
Detectives swooped down and raided the alleged operation on Wednesday, reports say. "In the rear section of the cafeteria, there were several coin-operated machines," a police spokesperson reportedly said. "In fact, when the detectives were executing the search warrant, there were several people gambling once the officers entered the room." Padron, Martinez, and Hernandez all worked for the minimarket and allegedly helped operate the illegal gambling services.
Some customers in the store at the time of the raid were unaware of the gambling machines. "I was having a soda, [the police] walked in. I just visiting here," one witness said. "I come here to get coffee, but that's all," another witness stated.
Abreu had been arrested twice previously on charges of illegal gambling, sources say. However, the details of those cases and their outcomes were not immediately clear at press time.
In other news, Jennifer Leigh Robbins of Melrose and Mathew Stuart Pauley of Keystone Heights were arrested Friday after they were accused of setting a man up for robbery, reports say. Robbins, 20 and Pauley, 24, were booked into police custody on charges of robbery. It is unclear whether they qualified for bail or hired legal representation.