By MONROE ROARK
mroark@TheCitizenNews.com

Fayetteville police have arrested three employees of a local establishment for illegal video poker gambling activities.

According to reports, detectives served a search warrant at Jokers, 310 N. Glynn St., and arrested James David Black III, 25, of Fayetteville; Deryl Parker, 36, of Peachtree City; and John S. Fital III, 22, of Peachtree City. The location is adjacent to the offices of The Citizen.

After a citizen complaint about illegal gambling at Fayette Family Billiards, 692 N. Glynn St., plainclothes detectives went into both establishments and played video poker games. Those machines give payout tickets that are redeemable at the counter for gift certificates to local merchants.

On several occasions, according to reports, police were paid in cash instead of merchandise gift certificates, which is a violation of state law.

Paul Carter of Fayetteville, who owns both establishments, met investigators at Jokers during execution of the search warrant. Carter gave police access to the video poker machines' cash boxes, and detectives seized about $1,200 from the machines and the business itself.

Other local businesses operating video poker machines were checked out and found to be operating within state and local laws, police said.

Commercial gambling is a violation of Georgia Code 16-12-22, which is a felony and could result in one to five years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000. The investigation is ongoing.