Nassau County commissioners vote to shut down internet cafes

Nassau County Commissioners are giving internet cafes 60 days to shut down.

It was a unanimous vote by commissioners to close the businesses, calling them a public nuisance.

The decision had dozens, if not hundreds of people in the county divided.

Since closing in Jacksonville, internet cafes have nearly doubled in Nassau County, from 14 arcades to about 30, if not more.

The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office said they’ve seen a significant amount of violent crimes and increased drug activity at the arcades.

They conducted an undercover operation into 28 of the arcades in December 2019.

Sgt. Cedric Arline of the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office took the stand Monday night explaining, “We purchased methamphetamines out of multiple locations of these gambling establishments. We had several detectives go in, and we also had purchases of heroin, crack cocaine.”

The impact of internet cafes had the entire community divided. Dozens of people who spoke Monday we’re hoping they would be allowed to stay open, especially retirees, like Gene Kendall, a retired Navy admiral, who goes to the internet cafes for fun.

“I don’t go to the gaming arcades for money, I go because of the sociability,” explained Kendall.

Other neighbors believe internet cafes are drawing crime into Nassau County. The ordinance passed Monday night said the internet cafes are “an endangerment to both the public and first responders.”

Seber Newsome, a Nassau County resident against the cafes said, “They found crack, meth, heroin, solicitation going on. Why do you want that in a neighborhood?”