By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

            Levy County Planning Director Stacy Hectus received permission from the County Commission Tuesday to draft an ordinance outlawing internet gambling cafés in the unincorporated areas of the county.

            Hectus said the county currently has nothing on the books that would prohibit an internet gambling café from operating in unincorporated Levy County outside of municipal boundaries.

            The hole in the county’s code of ordinances was discovered when Hectus was asked to approve a kids arcade but discovered through a series of emails with the applicant that the arcade was really an internet café in disguise.

            She had some knowledge of internet cafés from other places she had worked in local government.

            “Knowing a little about internet cafes and getting this gentleman that initially came in as an arcade, that’s a lot of times how they disguise it,” she said. “When I started asking questions about it, low and behold a few emails later it was a full-blown internet café.”

            Hectus said she contacted Levy County Undersheriff Brett Beauchamp, second in command at the sheriff’s office and a licensed Florida attorney, and sheriff’s Lt. Jimmy Anderson to discuss the situation. They provided background on the law and how it could be enforced.

            She had previously talked to acting County Attorney Heather Encinosa, who was later replaced by Evan Rosenthal, about actions that had been taken in the past by other counties and cities.

            Hectus said there were two options available, to outlaw internet cafés or allow them to operate in a specific zoning district with regulations.

            Commissioners told her they wanted to keep internet cafés out of the county.

            “Thanks, but no thanks,” said Commissioner Matt Brooks.

            “No fish tables,” said Commissioner Rock Meeks referring to internet café’ operations in Chiefland that were closed down. Those businesses used a gambling device known as fish tables to lure customers into their café’s.

            “They had a bunch of these in Chiefland just a short time ago,” Meeks said. “Sheriff, you correct me if I’m wrong, there was a lot of people going to the fish tables and they were gambling. Four of five of them at one time in Chiefland. For whatever reason, law enforcement stormed in the doors and shut them down. They collected all the fish tables and shut them down and no more money is flowing to the fish tables.”

            Commissioner Lilly Rooks who was out sick but was communicating by a telephone link agreed internet cafés should be outlawed.

            Meeks asked Sheriff Bobby McCallum what happened to the fish tables confiscated in the Chiefland law enforcement raids.

            McCallum said it wasn’t his case, but his department assisted the Chiefland Police Department to make the bust. He assumed the fish tables were in evidence but said he couldn’t be certain.

            Hectus said sometimes the owners of hair salons act as a front for internet cafés.

            McCallum said he knows one hair salon in Chiefland that isn’t a front for an internet gambling café’.

            “Let’s make it clear it’s not my wife’s hair shop,” he said, drawing laughter.

            “I did not even know,” Hectus replied with a smile.

            McCallum said internet cafés often attract crime.

            “Anywhere those places have been they have been associated with crimes, associated with problems. It goes a lot deeper than internet gambling,” McCallum said.

            Commission Chairman John Meeks said he agreed with everything Hectus and the sheriff said about internet cafés.

            “I’ve never been to one of these places but everything I’ve seen on TV and the news or anything else, the only good thing that ever happened in one of these places was when a guy walked into rob one and was shot by a man carrying a concealed weapon,” Meeks said. “Like the sheriff said, they lead to other crimes and other nefarious activities. In addition, they prey upon the people who can least afford to lose money, particularly your poorer folks, people trying to catch a break. There is a little revenue to be generated here, and yes, there’s a little in permit fees to be collected here but at what cost morally are we allowing these things to come in.”

            Rosenthal, responding to a question from Hectus about what could be done about internet cafés currently, said an ordinance could be drafted similar to the one in Marion County that not only prohibits internet café’s but gives existing internet cafés a certain amount of time to close their doors.

            He said the owners of internet cafés are always playing cat and mouse with law enforcement by altering software to avoid the charge of operating slot machines. He said an ordinance can be drafted to prohibit future internet cafés and shut down those that might currently exist. Hectus said she has heard that a couple of internet cafés may exist in the unincorporated areas of Levy County.

She said she would return with an ordinance for commission approval.

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Board of County Commission Regular Meeting November 2, 2021; Posted November 3, 2021