Employee arrested after paying out cash at Broadway store, police say

Cash payouts are at the center of a Columbus police investigation that led to commercial gambling charges against an employee Tuesday at 1344 Broadway, an agent for the Special Operations Unit testified Friday during a hearing in Recorder’s Court.

Dineshkumar Patel, 52, was charged with three counts of commercial gambling at the Quick Mini Market & Check Cashing, police said. Represented by attorney Jennifer Dunlap, he pleaded not guilty to the charges and waived his hearing. Judge Julius Hunter set bonds totaling $45,000 and bound the charges over to Muscogee Superior Court despite a call from police to deny bond.

Agent Kenneth Culverson said the investigation started more than a year ago after multiple complaints about cash payout to patrons playing the amusement games upstairs at the business. The store is a popular location for downtown and Phenix City residents to buy lottery tickets and play amusement games. Players are allowed to win prizes but cash payouts are against the law.

Culverson said there were three cash payouts from Patel at the business during the last month. In addition to payouts, the agent said about 50 crimes have been reported in the area over the last year, including patrons going in and out of the establishments.

While police requested no bond, Dunlap asked the judge to set a bond of about $2,500 on each count. She noted that it is Patel’s first arrest at the business where he works from 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

The business remained closed Wednesday, a day after the search warrant was executed.

This story was originally published October 19, 2018 at 11:27 AM.