Galveston Co. officials seize more than $700k from Hitchcock amid game room investigation

Updated 2 hours ago
HITCHCOCK, Texas (KTRK) -- Residents in Hitchcock are voicing their concerns to ABC13 after it was revealed that the Galveston County Sheriff's Office seized more than $700,000 from the city earlier this week.

City Manager Marie Gelles released a statement saying the total amount of money taken by the county was $721,408.11.

"While this has created difficulties, the City has adequate financial resources to meet its financial obligations, including employee payroll," she wrote.

Gelles also wrote that the city will pursue ways to reclaim funds taken from Hitchcock's "primary bank account."

An official with the Galveston County Sheriff's Office said that the seizure is part of an issue Eyewitness News has been covering for months.



"This was part of the investigation into the illegal operations of game rooms in the City of Hitchcock," an official said via text.

It was back in February that Sheriff Jimmy Fullen announced his office had seized more than 700 machines from 20 locations across Hitchcock.

SEE ALSO: Hitchcock mayor arrested in connection with illegal gambling bust, sheriff says

Fullen also announced at the time that there were more than 30 related arrests, including Mayor Chris Armacost.

"That was jaw-dropping," one Hitchcock resident told Eyewitness News.



Galveston County District Attorney Kenneth Cusick said an affidavit shows Hitchcock benefited financially from illegal gambling.

"The affidavit further described the City of Hitchcock's practice of requiring game room operators to pay an elaborate series of fees that resulted in the City benefiting substantially by receiving funds from illicit gambling," Cusick wrote.

One thing Eyewitness News learned from the sheriff's office on Thursday evening is that the affidavit indicated the city's bank account was supposed to have more than $850,000 in it at the time of the seizure.

ABC13 asked if there would be an investigation into that discrepancy, and is awaiting a response.
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