By Troy Torres
(Tumon, Guam) The Department of Revenue and Taxation will be investigating the operation of poker-style Liberty slot machines on the premises of the Micronesia Mall's children's amusement park, Linda's Coffee Shop, and at least two laundromats in Mongmong and Barrigada. This is according to Dafne Mansapit-Shimizu, the director of revenue and taxation, in a live interview she gave to Kandit this afternoon.
According to the Gaming Control Act in Guam law, it is a crime to operate these gambling devices on premises, where children are. Kandit has previously shown footage of several of these poker-style slot machines within the FunFair/Land amusement park in the Micronesia Mall. We also have seen these devices inside the MTM laundrymat along the same road, where the Hagatna Pool is located.
Linda's Coffee Shop today took out the machines that were operating there for years, however that does not absolve the owners of the restaurant from criminal liability for the operation of the machines prior to today.
The owners of King's family restaurants had the Liberty machines that operated within its Harmon restaurant for years removed since yesterday's filing of a criminal complaint against them by justice advocate Jesse Mendiola.
Mr. Mendiola also named the registrants and owners of the machines - Gil and Connie Jo Brennan Shinohara, John and Sheila Torres, Tom Tajalle, Lauren Bromley, and Guam Music, Inc. The complaint was filed with the Guam Police Department's Dededo precinct, where the complaint remains, according to Carlina Charfauros, spokeswoman for Attorney General Leevin Camacho.
Ms. Charfauros, in an interview with Kandit today, said that Mr. Camacho remains vehemently opposed to the licensing of these gambling machines, and that the AG's case to shut down these gamerooms will be heard on December 5, 2019 in the court of Judge Arthur Barcinas.
When asked whether the AGO plans to enforce the laws and impound the machines currently operating on the premises, where children are present, Ms. Charfauros said the responsibility for that rests with the DRT.
Ms. Shimizu said that now that she's aware of the operation of these machines, where children are present, she will be directing her compliance division to push this matter and to enforce the law.
