Federal and Local Law Enforcement Agencies Conducting Gaming Center 'Enforcement Action'

Beginning this morning, officials with Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE), and local law enforcement agencies officiated a city-wide "enforcement action" of several game/gambling rooms.

Carl Rusnock, an ICE spokesman in Dallas, said he can't say much at this time, but he did say that "Homeland Investigation special agents are on site in San Angelo conducting an enforcement action; however, no other information can be released at this time."

Thus far, San Angelo LIVE! has confirmed that The Magic Spot III in the 3900 block of Sunset Drive was closed down, along with several other gaming/gambling rooms across town, and bombarded by law enforcement agencies involved.

At approximately 9 a.m., a witness in the area, who wished to remain unnamed and works nearby, said he noticed about 8 to 19 cars that all converged on the building nearby.

"We went out back and were throwing trash, and there was another vehicle in the Trend Furniture parking lot behind the building," he said. "People were exiting that vehicle to go into the Magic Spot [close by]. There were probably 10 to 15 individuals. They all had on full uniform gear. There was HSI, ICE, Gang Unit, and there was one marked Sheriff's [vehicle]; the rest were undercover," the man said.

At that point, the man said he and his fellow colleagues knew something was going on.

When the man originally showed up to work, he said there were only two cars in the parking lot. He also saw some of the employees exit the building right before 9 a.m. when the agencies arrived. At about 10:30 a.m., the owner, whom he described as a person of "Oriental" background, showed up to the Magic Spot in a Cadillac Escalade.

"She walked in and looked," he said. "They went out and talked to her in the front, and she was really upset--concerned--you could tell. Then they started searching her vehicle and pulled a bunch of stuff out. They parked their cars in the parking lot so no one could pull in."

San Angelo LIVE! contacted the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office to find out more information, but Christina Lopez, public information officer, said she cannot comment on the situation at this time. TGCSO is simply assisting in the process.

Previously, in Aug. 2015, Homeland Security, police, and federal agents closed and searched several game rooms like The Magic Spot III in McKinney, Texas for "possible evidence of illegal gambling." For more information, click here.

As to whether this is a similar situation, Rusnock said more information will be released when available.

Update 2:30 p.m.

Chief of Police Tim Vasquez said federal and local law enforcement agencies in Abilene also closed down and investigated another gaming/gambling center, The Spot, in Abilene, which is owned by the same people of the San Angelo locations.

"The Feds are doing the same thing in Abilene today," Vasquez confirmed. "We are simply helping them. I don't know anything else."