Cornelius woman arrested in Mooresville sweepstakes parlor bust

Mooresville police charged a Cornelius woman with operating an electronic sweepstakes after seizing at least 100 gaming computers from Coupons, a business in the 400 block of East Plaza Drive (N.C. 150 East).

Michelle Sue Jones, 46, is free on $200 bail, police said.

Police also issued arrest warrants for Nikunj Dineshbhai Patel, 25, of Jacksonville, Fla., on charges of machines and devices for sweepstakes prohibited, operating a game of chance and operating greater than five gaming machines, a felony.

Police executed a search warrant on Coupons in response to citizen complaints and legislative mandates on gaming businesses and illegal gambling operations, Mooresville police Major Ron Chilton said.

Police also found gambling paraphernalia and customer record information. It was the first search warrant executed on sweepstakes-style gambling operations in Mooresville, Chilton said.

Joe Marusak

This story was originally published October 24, 2015 at 2:34 PM with the headline "Cornelius woman arrested in Mooresville sweepstakes parlor bust."