Judge orders gambling machines destroyed

Magistrate Blake Norton ruled this month that three video game machines in Seneca meet the state’s definition of gambling machines and, pending an appeal period, has ordered their destruction.  The machines were seized by the state Law Enforcement Division January 12 at Seneca Lanes on the 123 By-Pass and brought to the magistrate’s office in Walhalla for his examination.  The owners of one Pot-O-Silver and two Slingo Video machines have 15 days to request a post-seizure hearing to contest Norton’s ruling that they are illegal.  Meantime, the judge authorized “SLED” to hold $964.26 seized from the machines.