Crime & Safety

Reel Fun Internet Sweepstakes Cafe Court Battle

Circuit court judge dismisses injunction attempt by Reel Fun attorneys.

A judge has shot down an attempt to stop Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats from seizing computers at Palm Harbor's Reel Fun internet sweepstakes cafe, but an attorney for the cafe is vowing to continue the fight.

Monday, Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court Judge John Schaefer released his ruling in favor of Pinellas County Sheriff, Jim Coats. Coats and an attorney for the sheriff's office were in court Friday, along with attorneys for Reel Fun LLC. 

Reel Fun's attorneys had filed a request for an injunction, with the hope of preventing the sheriff from confiscating computers at the internet cafe. Reel Fun attorney, Lawrence Crow argued that removing the computers could cause financial harm to the business.

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In response, Shannon Kennedy, attorney for the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, filed a Motion to Dismiss the injunction request.

Judge Schaefer ruled in favor of the sheriff's office saying Reel Fun attorneys did not include an underlying request for relief. "It's just stop the sheriff from taking our property, that's it. There's no request for a decision by the judicial branch and I'm very concerned about the separation of powers," he said.

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After the hearing, Sheriff Coats told Palm Harbor Patch, "If they continue to operate, then we'll take enforcement action." He also said he could not predict if this court hearing will be the end of the battle.

Attorney Lawrence Crow says as far as he knows, the Reel Fun internet sweepstakes cafe will continue to operate as it has. Crow says he also plans to amend and refile his request, so it is more like a full-blown lawsuit.

All of this legal wrangling came after the sheriff sent a letter to Reel Fun's owner, Charles Bartlett, claiming the business was using illegal gambling devices. The letter warned that if the business was still operating in 15 days, the sheriff's office could investigate further.

Sheriff Coats also sent the letter to two other Palm Harbor businesses. Since then, the Fun City sweepstakes cafe has closed and the Fraternal Order of Eagles removed any computer games that may have been targeted by the sheriff.

Sweepstakes Cafes have become popular in Florida. They sell phone cards that also contain free sweepstakes points that can be used to play online games in the cafes.


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