Rowan Sheriff’s Office charges Salisbury man with operating illegal gambling business

Published 10:24 am Monday, May 10, 2021

SALISBURY — The Rowan Sheriff’s Office has charged a Salisbury man with illegal gambling as part of an ongoing investigation into businesses known as fish arcades.

Diallo Antonio Finger, 48, was charged Thursday with two counts of operating more than five video gaming machines, two counts of unlawful gaming promotions, gambling, two counts of operating or possessing a slot machine and illegal slot machines or punchboards. He was given a $1,000 secured bond and booked into the Rowan County Detention Center.

Jail records showed he was no longer confined Monday morning.

Finger worked at a fish arcade business at 2143 Statesville Blvd. Suite C, the Rowan Sheriff’s Office said.

Since 2019, the Rowan Sheriff’s Office has worked to shut down local fish arcade businesses, which get their name because of the animals depicted in games offered. Last year, the Sheriff’s Office told fish arcades across the county to shut down or face arrest and seizure of equipment and profits. Gold Fish LLC attempted to stop the Sheriff’s Office by filing an injunction last year that hasn’t been heard by a judge.

In March, the Rowan County Sheriffs Office seized hundreds of thousands of dollars as well as gaming machines from three businesses in Salisbury and two houses in Concord, with help from the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office.

No further details were released about Finger’s charges. Maj. John Sifford said it’s possible more charges will come in the fish arcade investigation.