SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City Police Department announced Wednesday that they made an arrest in connection to an alleged illegal gambling operation in the Ballpark neighborhood.
According to Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown, the special investigation unit of the department has been investigating the alleged operation at 1480 S. State Street — an internet cafe called "My PodZzz." Brown described it as an "alleged criminal enterprise masquerading as a legitimate business."
Court documents identified the suspect as 42-year-old Ryan Jovon Delahuerta, who reportedly owns the business. He was arrested on misdemeanor charges of gambling promotion, possession of a gambling device, fringe gaming devices, and "gambling or allowing gambling."
Brown said officers moved in on the location at around 7:30 Tuesday night, and 28 people inside the business were detained. All but one was released — a 38-year-old employee.
Police said officers seized more than $56,000 during a conducted operation, along with firearms, gambling machines, fentanyl, and meth.
The investigation consisted of undercover detectives going into the business, where they put money into a machine that operated a "fish game." Police said these machines and the game were a type of gambling, and the business took a cut. They seized two of the machines.
Investigators said the proceeds from My PodZzz were funneled into Urban Pawn in Murray, also owned by Delahuerta.
Chief Brown added that crime has increased in the Ballpark area over the last six months, and he believes that's due in part to the business — attracting bad actors.
"The residents and businesses of Ballpark: You deserve a safe community," Brown said. "We have heard your concerns about crime in this area, and we have taken action."
Three doors down at Piper Down Pub, Aiden Bott said he had his suspicions that something wasn’t right at the internet cafe.
"A lot of people here — we’ve been talking about it. Like, what they’re doing down there," said Bott, who works as a barback. "It always was kind of sketchy, so it's not surprising to see that something was going on."
