A woman was arrested in Suffolk County, New York, for allegedly operating illegal gambling services in a Huntington bar.
Nicole Sutera, a bartender at the local, was arrested by Suffolk County Police on Thursday, December 11, for allegedly operating illegal gambling on the premises. The investigation was instigated after community complaints were raised, leading to Second Precinct Crime Section officers working together with New York State Liquor Authority, Town of Huntington Fire Marshal, and Town of Huntington Ordinance Inspector.
An SLA Inspection was carried out at Valencia Tavern located at 236 Wall Street at 11 pm, where officers found envelopes full of cash, betting records, and illegal gambling pools. 41-year-old Sutera was then arrested for Disorderly Premise a unclassified misdemeanor in the ABC Law, which could result in financial fines, suspension of alcohol license for the venue, and the possibility of jail time.
What’s more, the Town of Huntington Fire Marshal and Town of Huntington Code Ordinance Inspector issued six combined Fire and Building Code Violations to Valencia Tavern. Further investigations are planned after the SLA observed numerous violations. The fire and building code violations are not thought to be charged as the responsibility of Sutera, in her position as a bartender.
Sutera was issued a Field Appearance Ticket and is due to appear in First District Court in Central Islip on December 31, 2025.
Illegal gambling beyond Huntington
Arrests like these have been made across the US, with bad actors allegedly using bars and locales to run illegal gambling rings, sometimes even drawing the attention of the FBI. Often such operations are conducted as joint investigations across several local and federal organizations, as also seen here.
Punishments for illegal gambling rings vary between financial fines and jail time, depending on the location, the severity of the crime, and if any other crimes, like drug use or the sale of drugs, were committed.
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