ABC agents seize illegal gambling machines at Bedford, Altavista Moose Lodges

6:34 p.m.

BEDFORD - Agents with the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control bureau raided a pair of Loyal Order of Moose lodges last week, according to several sets of court records.

ABC agents executed a search warrant on April 22nd at the Bedford Moose Lodge #1897, according to court papers on file in Bedford County circuit court. An inventory claims investigators confiscated three alleged illegal “video casino game” machines, more than 250 prepaid phone cards, and $4,517.90 in cash.

The lead investigator listed on the search warrant, ABC special agent David C. Scott, declined comment on the case.

Court records on file in Campbell County circuit court show agents seized three similar machines from the Altavista Moose Lodge, on the same day as the Bedford raid. Investigators also took possession of $1,256 from the Altavista Moose Lodge, according to the search warrant inventory.

ABC public affairs specialist, Jennifer Farinholt, said no charges have been filed, and both cases are still under investigation.

The raids were a result of a two-to-three month undercover operation, Farinholt wrote in an email to WSLS 10 On Your Side.

Special Agent Scott also executed a pair of search warrants at a Bedford area and Roanoke bank ,where the Bedford Moose Lodge holds its deposits, according to court records.

Farinholt said the ABC bureau executed a similar search warrant in Campbell County, on a bank holding the deposits of the Altavista Moose Lodge.

Bedford Moose Lodge acting administrator Gene Nichols and governor Jerry Lawson have not returned phone calls seeking comment as of Monday evening. Several phone calls placed to the Altavista Moose Lodge yielded only busy signals.

Farinholt said the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office and the Altavista Police Department assisted in serving the April 22nd search warrant at the Altavista Moose Lodge.

(The News & Advance’s Ray Reed contributed to this report)

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6:00 p.m.

ABC agents raided the Altavista Moose Lodge on the same day as the Bedford raid, according to a search warrant on file in Campbell County circuit court.

The Altavista raid netted three more suspected illegal gambling machines and $1,256 cash.

A spokesperson with the Alcohol Beverage Control bureau said no charges have been filed in either case and both are still very much under investigation.

Several members at the Bedford Moose Lodge declined to comment on the case.

Phone calls to the lodge's acting administrator and governor have so far not been returned.

Several phone calls placed to the Altavista Moose Lodge on Monday afternoon yielded only a busy signal.

The Lynchburg News & Advance's Ray Reed contributed to this report.

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3:00 p.m.

I've also uncovered information authorities executed a similar search warrant last week at the Altavista Moose Lodge.

I'm working on more details.

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11:50 a.m.

A search warrant on file in Bedford County circuit court claims an undercover ABC bureau special agent played alleged illegal gambling machines at the Bedford Moose Lodge three days before the agency executed the search warrant on April 22nd.

The search warrant shows investigators took three "video casino games" and more than $4,000 cash.

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10:33 a.m.

BEDFORD - A search warrant on file in Roanoke Circuit Court claims the Virginia ABC Bureau confiscated three alleged illegal gambling machines at Bedford's Loyal Order of Moose, Lodge #1897 last Friday.

The ABC agent whom wrote the search warrant, David Scott, declined to comment on the case.

The search warrant reads authorities found the suspected illegal gambling machines in a private room located on the bottom floor of the lodge.

You can see more on this story tonight on WSLS 10 On Your Side at 6 p.m.