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SALT LAKE CITY — Following an extensive investigation, the Utah Attorney General's Office has filed gambling and money laundering charges against the owners of hundreds of coin-pusher and electronic kiosk machines in Utah.
Pierre Luc Marcoux, 34, of Delray Beach, Florida, and John Leslie Honeuycutt, 47, of Hooper, were charged Wednesday in 3rd District Court with money laundering, a third-degree felony, and two counts of gambling promotion, a class B misdemeanor.
After receiving numerous complaints about the coin-pusher machines — in which a person inserts quarters in an attempt to get more quarters or even dollar bills to fall from moving trays — and slot machines, where a person pays for a card, puts that card in the slot machine to play, and then gets a receipt at the end that sometimes results in a payout, an investigation was launched.
In March, about 160 search warrants were served from Cache County to Washington County at gas stations, convenience stores, restaurants and anywhere else that had the games of chance.
"The devices were initially found to be owned and operated by related companies named Intermountain Vending, Inc. and Western Coin, LLC; but were later 'sold' to ITM Management LLC and WC Management LLC," according to charging documents.
The charges say the kiosks were "sweepstakes" games that resembled slot machines.
"The game also appears to allow the player to choose the number of credits to be played, giving the appearance of being able to increase the odds of a larger payout similar to a Las Vegas style slot machine," the charges state.
The coin-pusher machines allegedly gave the person who inserted the coin the chance to earn a gumball with each play. But according to court records, investigators found some machines that didn't have any gumballs in them at all, and at least one where an agent put in 12 quarters and never got a gumball.
Prosecutors say neither the kiosks nor coin-pushers involve any skill to play, just chance.
"These kiosks and coin-pushers generated significant economic benefit to ITM Management LLC and WC Management LLC while inducing others to engage in gambling," the charges state.
