Gambling Bust Leaves 8 Arrested On Long Island: Police

NORTH AMITYVILLE, NY — Eight people were arrested at a Long Island restaurant for gambling violations after a raid by police and town officials on Thursday, according to Suffolk County police.

Police said community complaints sparked a compliance check at Tropical Deli & Grocery in North Amityville around 9:30 p.m. During the raid, police, the Town of Babylon Fire Marshal, and the building inspector found an illegal gambling operation on the premises.

Police arrested the business's owner, Rafael Valero, 51, of Amityville; the manager, Robert Rodriguez, 34, of Copiague; the man conducting the gambling operation, Angelo Fernandez Nunez, 33, of Port Jefferson; for possession of a gambling device, a misdemeanor, police said.

Five patrons were also arrested and issued field appearance tickets for loitering for the purpose of gambling, a violation, including Anadel Diaz, 35, of Rockville Center; Ernest Jackson, 68, of Freeport; Max Zepeda, 38, of Deer Park; Jorge Guzman Valladares, 39, of Amityville; and Jose Rivera, 32, of Copiague, police said.

They are slated to appear at First District Court in Central Islip on Feb. 26.