Eagle Stop owner hit with gambling charges after raid; charges also filed against Ashland bar owner

Watch a news conference with Attorney General Catherine Hanaway live at 2 p.m.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The owner of Eagle Stop convenience stores has been charged with promoting illegal gambling after a raid on a Columbia store.

Anthony Gier, of Eldon, was charged Tuesday by the Missouri Attorney General's Office with four felony counts of promoting illegal gambling. An office spokeswoman said the case is related to the seizure of video gambling machines from the Eagle Stop station on North Providence Road in Columbia.

The charges were brought in Boone County. A second case was also filed in Miller County.

Attorney General Catherine Hanaway plans to hold a news conference later Tuesday about the illegal gaming machine issue. Hanaway secured an agreement from Torch Electronics, which provides the machines to stores, last month for Torch to suspend operations in Missouri.

The case is expected to be discussed at the news conference.

Court documents filed in Boone County state that a Trooper went into the convenience store on April 14 as part of an undercover investigation.

The Trooper said he played several rounds on one of the electronic gambling devices. He added that the device did not have a pre-reveal icon on the screen and operated as a "conventional straight slot style device."

Details about when the machines were removed were not included. Gier's first court appearance is set for June 26.

Ashland bar

Charges were also filed against an Ashland business owner. Keith Winscott, of Ashland, was charged on Tuesday with five counts of first-degree promoting gambling. A criminal summons was issued for Winscott on Tuesday and an initial court appearance is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Friday, June 26.

The probable cause statement in his case says a trooper went to Woody’s Pub and Grub on Douglas Drive on April 17 and found five electronic gambling machines. A Tuesday press release from the AG’s office says six gambling devices were at the business and $8,072 in “illegal funds” were seized.

Check back for updates to this developing story.