El Reno Businesses Raided For Alleged Illegal Gaming Activities

Wednesday night, the Canadian County Sheriff's Office and other local and federal agencies swarmed the Elks Lodge, VFW Post, the American Legion and Gilmore's Pub in El Reno for illegal gaming activity.

Thursday, March 7th 2013, 6:05 pm

By: News 9


It's been a day, but authorities still aren't saying much about the raid of several El Reno businesses.

All is calm in El Reno now, but Wednesday night, the Canadian County Sheriff's Office and other local and federal agencies swarmed the Elks Lodge, VFW Post, the American Legion and Gilmore's Pub in El Reno for illegal gaming activity.

"I have been advised that I'm not to make any comments, period," says VFW Post 382 Commander Bill Elkins. "Yes, we were raided."

Elkins says his post has not done anything illegal.

"If anything with money, profit, if we profited from anything, it all went to back into the community," Elkins says. "To the youth programs."

Canadian County Undersheriff Chris West would not go into detail on what was raided inside the El Reno businesses because he says it could compromise their investigation.

"We're talking about criminal activity that was going on in the county," West says. "In Oklahoma, that's not lawful, I mean there are specific areas where it is legal, you can go to Indian casinos and gaming establishments like that where it is legal or at horse racing tracks."

West says the investigation stems back for years. Some residents of El Reno say it seems like officers bust the same exact locations for slot machines every 10 years. But this time, West says federal agents will be helping them investigate the issue.

"I'm talking about the people who are running these operations, the masterminds who are behind it," West says. "The people who are involved in the corruption and the criminal activity, those are the individuals we want to reach."

No arrests have been made in the investigation, but West says the warrant sweep is just the beginning.

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