Illegal Gambling Arrests Made In Sarasota County: Sheriff

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — Five people were arrested and face charges related to illegal gambling, according to a Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office news release.

Ciara Boles, 34, and Stivi Breshani, 29, both of Venice; Emily Gill, 26, of Sarasota; Christine McCormack, 42, of Port Charlotte; and Ilir Iskali, 44, of Addison, Illinois were all charged with criminal enterprise (RICO), possession of a slot machine, maintaining a gambling establishment and money laundering.

A sixth suspect, Ilia Lulo, hasn’t been taken into custody, but an arrest warrant has been issued for them, the sheriff’s office said.

An investigation by SCSO, working with the Florida Gaming Control Commission, into multiple illegal gambling establishments run by the suspects in Sarasota County launched in April.

Nearly 60 illegal slot machines were seized from the business, investigators said.

“Our agency has received many complaints about these illegal establishments popping up in Sarasota County. This is the first of many steps towards holding them accountable and closing them down,” Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman.

Gill was at the business on Feb. 26 and arrested there, the sheriff’s office said. The SCSO Fugitive Apprehension Unit helped with the location of Boles and McCormack on that same day.

An arrest warrant was issued on Feb. 28 for Breshani, who was arrested and taken into custody without incident.

Iskali turned himself in at the Sarasota County Correctional Facility on Monday.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Lulo may submit an anonymous tip to CrimeStoppers at 941-366-8477 or at SarasotaCrimeStoppers.com.

“The Florida Gaming Control Commission is proud to partner with (the) Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. SCSO has made its home safer by targeting those responsible for siphoning away funds from their neighbors with illegal slot machines. These unlawful machines are unregulated and lack any consumer protections,” Ross Marshman, FGCC acting executive director, said.