Illegal gaming machines were confiscated from an Arnold bar as the Missouri attorney general’s crusade to rid the state of the devices resulted in “simultaneous seizures” from five state business following a sting operation.
Seven gaming devices and $2,147 were seized from the Tenbrook Station Lounge, 2946 Fannie Drive, on Tuesday, May 12, during an operation coordinated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Attorney General’s Office. The announcement about the seizures said a tool was needed to drill into a payment kiosk at Tenbrook Station Lounge to determine if the business had collected more money from the machines.
The Highway Patrol and local law enforcement seized 35 machines and $58,815 in illegal funds from businesses in the four-county illegal gaming sting operation.
Tonia Lynn Twardowski, 51, of Imperial is listed as the owner of Tenbrook Station Lounge in court records. She has been charged with five counts of misdemeanor second-degree promoting gambling charges.
The case is filed in Jefferson County, and an initial court appearance is scheduled for June 17, court records show.
Court documents did not list an attorney for Twardowski.
The owners of the other four businesses targeted in the sting operation have been charged with a combined 21 felony counts of first-degree promoting gambling, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
The other businesses that had machines and money seized May 12 were:
■ Eagle Stop North Providence in Columbia, Boone County, which had four illegal gaming devices and $16,973 in illegal funds seized.
■ Woody’s Pub and Grub in Ashland, Boone County, which had six illegal gaming devices and $8,072 in illegal funds seized.
■ Buffalo Eagle Stop in Buffalo, Dallas County, which had eight illegal gaming devices and $15,638 in illegal funds seized.
■ Bagnell Eagle Stop in Lake Ozark, Miller County, which had four illegal gaming devices and $15,985 in illegal funds seized.
Following investigations by the Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control, the Attorney General’s Office, partnered collaboratively with the Arnold Police Department, Ashland Police Department, Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Columba Police Department, Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Miller County Sheriff’s Office, and Lake Ozark Police Department to complete the sting operation.
“This sting operation reflects our shared commitment with the Attorney General’s Office and local law enforcement partners to enforce the law, hold violators accountable and protect lawful business practices throughout Missouri,” Missouri State Highway Patrol Col. Michael A. Turner said in a statement.
In February, a federal judge ruled that unlicensed gaming machines, which are often found in convenience stores or bars, are illegal. Torch Electronics of Wildwood, which the Attorney General's Office estimates is the company that owns the largest amount of these machines across the state, announced in April it would shut down all of its machines.
“We are proud to have partnered with local law enforcement in a sting operation that marks the start of our next phase of enforcement,” Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said in a statement announcing the seizure of the machines. “My office remains committed to dismantling illegal gaming manufacturers, distributors, and retail stores that continue to defy law enforcement.”
In the statement, Hanaway demanded anyone operating illegal gaming machines to unplug, shut down and remove the devices. She also said her office was prepared to go to all corners of the state to eradicate illegal gaming operations.
Tenbrook Station Lounge
According to a probable-cause statement filed by the Highway Patrol, a trooper went to the Tenbrook Station Lounge, which is off Arnold Tenbrook Road, on April 30 to investigate a complaint of illegal gambling devices inside the business.
The trooper was undercover and used a video and audio recording device during the investigation. The trooper wrote that there were five electronic gambling devices and an electronic kiosk in the bar, and the trooper played a game called “Jackpot Buffalo.”
The trooper put $20 into the machine, played several rounds, cashed out with $15 and used a ticket printed out from the gaming machine to collect the money from the kiosk, the report said.
The trooper described the game as one that revealed the outcome of the play, and the player had to pay money to complete that round to either collect a prize or try again to win if the outcome was unfavorable. However, the trooper wrote because there was no guarantee that the play after an unfavorable outcome, or loss, there was no skill involved and that removed the element of chance making the game illegal.