Wichita laundromat that’s problem spot for illegal gambling closed for 30 days
A Sedgwick County judge has agreed to shutter a south Wichita laundromat where cops have seized dozens of illegal gambling machines over the past few years.
Wichita police on Friday noted the ruling in a news release that announced a new focus on combating high crime rates in areas linked to unlawful gaming. Over the past three years, complaints have poured into the department, resulting in seizures of more than 900 machines in 40 separate stings.
The city of Wichita in March asked the court to let it padlock the Fabric Care Center, a coin-operated laundry facility sandwiched between a diner and apartments at Harry and George Washington Boulevard, over ongoing gambling. Between 2016 and February officers seized 34 machines in at least three raids at the laundromat.
Every time police took some, more turned up — and were ultimately moved to the building’s basement to avoid law enforcement scrutiny, according to court records. The machines brought in thousands of dollars each week, laundromat employees told detectives during police interviews.
The city argued that Fabric Care Center became a nuisance spot and threatened public safety.
In court filings, the city referred to what it characterized as high crime rates within 200 feet of the building over the past 14 months, including one killing, a rape, seven assaults and at least a dozen drug cases. Police have also received at least one complaint from a person with a family member addicted to gambling at the address.
Judge William Woolley on April 22 signed an order closing the laundromat for all of May except the last day, according to court records. The order says a sign that reads “ILLEGAL GAMBLING OPERATION. CLOSED BY ORDER OF THE COURT FOR 30 DAYS” in at least 2-inch high letters must be posted on the front door to alert customers and no one but its owner, Benedict “B. Sean” Klenda, or a buyer or leasee is allowed inside.
The order also bars gaming machines and other types of gambling at the laundromat, 2910 E. Harry, and at a second location, Quick N Easy Washomat, at 1557 S. Hydraulic.
Klenda, who was facing a host of illegal gambling charges in connection with the activity at the laundromat, pleaded guilty to eight misdemeanor counts in April after waiving a jury trial, according to court records. He was sentenced to time served and won’t pay any fines, those records show, but is responsible for court costs and fees.
With few exceptions, gambling is illegal in Kansas. To combat it, Wichita police have shut down poker houses, stopped gambling at charity events and seized illegal and “gray area” gaming machines across town in recent years.
The FBI also carried out a years-long probe that results in indictments for law enforcement officers and businessmen and implicated others.
This story was originally published May 3, 2019 at 5:18 PM.
