Briana Rios, Fla. Teenager, Allegedly Ran a 'Pretty Big' Bookie Operation

Briana Rios

The way authorities describe it, Briana Rios crashed through the glass ceiling in the traditionally male-dominated world of illegal bookmaking, but not exactly as a feminist icon.

The 19-year-old South Florida resident, who attended Miami Senior High School, is accused of heading an illegal gambling operation, taking bets on NFL and NBA games from a Trasfer Xpress store in Hollywood, according to NBCMiami.

“It looks like there were a lot of customers going in here. You even had allegedly had computers inside to help you place the bets,” Judge John Hurley told the TV station.

“This doesn't look like a small, penny ante operation. Seems like a pretty big operation."

At a bail hearing, assistant Public Defender Terry Conover claimed that Rios may have been a clerk in the operation, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The judge, however, disagreed, based on computers and other evidence seized in the arrest, the paper reported. The bookmaking allegedly occurred between October and December 2011.

Jose Solis, who described himself as Rios' ex-boyfriend, told NBC that she was bringing in $10,000 a day or more.

A bond for her release was set at $20,000, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office.

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Comments

[Sarat Borat]

05:08 PM on 04/22/2013

So what time is hard

[Erik G Nyquist]

09:53 PM on 07/24/2012

In Florida, hmm?... I cannot help but wonder if she would have been treated this way where she Caucasian.

[Fatrat1128]

02:38 PM on 01/11/2013

Well Erik, Had she been White, she would have never gotten out on on such a shallow bond. If she were white, She would have been bound over for trial almost immediately. Why do people have to make everything a race issue? Blatant stupidity, I guess.

[Edge of the Ledge]

11:16 PM on 06/04/2012

She is only in trouble because the government wasnt getting their cut

[KenValpojd]

09:09 PM on 05/16/2012

Somehow it seems too bad. The kid was providing a service people wanted that didn't hurt anyone and was evidently running it pretty well.

[Erich DaBurger]

11:56 AM on 09/04/2012

I agree 100%. That said, the Government needs to get out of the medical marijuana game as well.

[oldwolf49]

04:51 AM on 03/22/2012

I'm guessing she wasn't in school.

[climbing panda]

09:46 PM on 03/21/2012

why is this kind of ingenuity crushed?

[brokerthanu]

08:59 PM on 03/21/2012

10,000 a day and she forgot to pay off the cops. Now the sherif, the judge and the local republicans can move in and take over since the competition is going to jail.

[glowbug25]

04:15 PM on 03/21/2012

Florida has more important issues to worry about than some woman gambling.

[parksle2]

08:25 PM on 03/19/2012

10K a day and she has a public defender. deport her and all her relatives if they are not citizens and find the next one!

[Bruce Chubb]

02:00 AM on 05/27/2012

Lol. In a crime like this, the government takes all the persons money, because it's what's known as "ill gotten gains." Since the money was obtained illegally, and the government takes it all, then she has no legitimate income and is entitled to a public defender.

[Epilef2000]

03:47 PM on 03/19/2012

so she is a self-sufficient entrepreneur and they want to jail her.

Meanwhile, violent gang members continue to intimidate the community, white collar crime is stealing billions from investors and taxpayer..

[Ed Gibson]

02:47 PM on 03/19/2012

Good for her, who cares about bookies, people bet, plain and simple, too bad she got caught. Her players are all looking for a new bookie now. Now get out there law enforcement and get after the gang bangers.

[arcticshade]

02:00 PM on 03/19/2012

I heard the way law works is " no victim no crime" I guess only bankers are allowed to gamble and break the rules. They gambled peoples pensions and morgages called derivatives and ruin the economy and then since they bribe our gov't so much they even got tax payers to pay for it. Not one arrest and now they gambling again showing clearly they did not learn any leason. Only that they can get away with it.

[Fatrat1128]

02:42 PM on 01/11/2013

Don't forget the all important fact: The government and banks hate the ompetition.

[My Red Pony]

11:25 AM on 03/19/2012

Grrr, once again there’s no proof reading before theses stories are published. “You even had allegedly had computers inside…” What? Sheesh. And where is the rest of the story? How did LE figure out that the place was a front for bookmaking? If Briana was making $10k per day, how did the judge figure that a $20k bond would be difficult for her? At least she was still going to school, and I’ll bet she gets really high marks in math. Most kids making that much money would drop out. People who want to gamble will find a way to gamble. The only reason this place was busted is that the government doesn’t get their cut like they do on ‘legal’ lotteries and casinos. This is either a badly written article or Briana will beat the charges.

[billselfconcord]

07:57 AM on 03/19/2012

The states do the lottery don`t mess with their money or you will go down.

[FaceReality2]

06:41 AM on 03/19/2012

More time and money wasted on victimless crimes, while predators prowl the streets.