Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson wasted no time enforcing the state’s gambling laws. Just four days after being appointed commander of the Governor’s Task Force on Illegal Gambling, Tyson attempted to raid Houston County’s Country Crossing and Macon County’s VictoryLand casinos Jan. 29.
Although the pre-dawn raids were stopped by judges’ restraining orders, Tyson vows he will not give up the fight.
“The Governor’s Task Force [on] Illegal Gambling is at work today defending the rule of law in the state of Alabama,” Tyson said during a Jan. 29 press conference. “The message … goes to anybody and everybody that has illegal slot machines in operation. … Respect the law of the state of Alabama, shut those machines down and get them out of the state immediately.”
At press time, Tyson was awaiting a response from the Alabama Supreme Court about his request for it to lift the VictoryLand restraining order. He said there was an estimated 8,000 slot machines inside the facility and about 10,000 more in a storage facility near the casino.
“Let me assure you as soon as the Supreme Court lifts the temporary restraining order, we are going forward at VictoryLand.”
Since Country Crossing officials closed the facility’s doors before state troopers arrived, Tyson considers the operation a “complete success.”
“Illegal gambling is not taking place at Country Crossing,” he said. “If they open their doors again, we will send in our undercover operatives and others, and we will document that illegal gambling activities are occurring. Then we will proceed with seizures and in both instances appropriate arrests.”
Questions arose since the task force did not have a search warrant for the Country Crossing raid. But Tyson said, “We don’t need a search warrant when a (officer) is in the presence of illegal activity.”
He issued a strong warning to the state’s residents.
“Here is a word to the wise. First, electronic bingo machines are illegal. Second, obey the law. Third, shut down any machines that exist anywhere in the state of Alabama. Four, have those machines (sent) out of the state. Five, let the Department of Public of Safety know.”
Riley describes Tyson as a “real bulldog” with a “reputation for integrity, tenacity and courage.”
“Like me, John Tyson believes that the law must be enforced — no matter how much money or political pressure is brought to bear by the casino bosses,” Riley said. “John Tyson understands the stakes. He understands that gambling bosses will do and are doing anything and everything they can to prevent the enforcement of the law.”
“Much is at stake for the people of Alabama in this fight,” Tyson said when named to the position Jan. 25. “I love Alabama too much to see it repeat the history of Phenix City, and I will see to it that Alabama’s laws against illegal gambling are enforced everywhere … because no one is above the law.
“We all know [the charity bingo] provisions of the constitution do not authorize … slot machines.”
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