Nash reserve deputy fired for involvement with sweepstakes parlor

Jeff Bartz, who had been with the sheriff's office for more than 20 years, was allegedly managing the business, Spring Hope authorities told WRAL News.

"Any type of that activity goes against our core values," said Brandon Medina, chief deputy for the sheriff's office. "So, we decided to separate the individual from our organization."

After the sheriff's office received a tip about the sweepstakes parlor at 803 E. Nash St., investigators determined it included some illegal games, Medina said.

"It was a location that had illegal fish tables and other electronic items that actually paid cash out," he said.

A fish table is a game where players get points for shooting down fish.

Still, Medina noted, any games that pay players are illegal, and contests are allowed as long as they are based on skill, not chance.

While sheriff's office investigators warned the owners of the Spring Hope sweepstakes parlor about the illegal games, Medina said they were merely asked to comply with state law and not asked to shut the business down.

Spring Hope officials said the business owners did that by choice, emptying the building of all games this week.

In 2019, the Town Council unanimously approved a request from the property’s owner to amend a local zoning ordinance to allow for electronic gaming operations there, Town Manager Jae Kim said.

"The Town cannot shut down any business without due process," Kim told WRAL News in a statement, "The electronic gaming establishment here was a legally approved use per our town ordinances."

Spring Hope Police Chief Nathan Gant said that, until this week, he wasn't aware of any illegal activity at the sweepstakes business. He said he was concerned for customers and employees because it had been a target for frequent robberies.

Gant said that he worked with the owners to have off-duty officers provide security and that he believed that, with a deputy managing the place, people would strictly adhere to the law.

No one has been charged in the case, and North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement said the business isn't under investigation.