Long Beach
Police Department

On February 8, 2020 at approximately 11:20 A.M. Long Beach Police Department Detectives uncovered an illegal gaming operation, while conducting a tobacco decoy operation, in the 200 block of West Anaheim Street.

Detectives were working a tobacco decoy operation at a business in the 200 block of West Anaheim Street. During the operation detectives discovered the business had six illegal gambling machines inside. The clerk inside the store was detained for investigation, was discovered to be on PRCS supervised release and found to be in possession of a firearm. The owner of the business was also detained at the location.

The clerk, Damien Henry, a 40-year-old resident of Long Beach, was arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm and accepting illegal wagers, and is being held on $35,000 bail. The owner of the business, Vaughn Telemaque, who is a 29-year-old resident of Long Beach, was arrested for running an illegal gambling operation and is being held on $20,000 bail.

As the detectives continued their investigation, a neighboring business was also found to have one illegal gambling machine inside. The owner of that business, Hout Chhim, a 50-year-old resident of Long Beach, was detained and released with a misdemeanor citation for possession of an illegal gambling machine.

Detectives subsequently confiscated the seven gambling machines, one firearm and over $1,700 in cash.

Anyone with information regarding illegal gambling activity is asked to contact the Long Beach Police Department’s Vice Investigations Detectives at (562) 570-7219. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or text TIPLA plus your tip to 274637 (CRIMES), or visit www.lacrimestoppers.org.