HARTWELL, GA. — A South Carolina woman is charged in Hart County with running an illegal gambling operation.

April Gibson of Fountain Inn, S.C., 24, owns Treasure Buy Internet Service on Anderson Highway in Hartwell.

Gibson turned herself into the Hart County Sheriff's Office Tuesday morning. She is charged with one count of felony commercial gambling.

Hart County sheriff's investigators along with Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents obtained warrants Friday to search Treasure Buy Internet Service after receiving complaints that illegal video poker machines were inside.

According to Sheriff Mike Cleveland, the establishment was busted once before for operating video poker machines. But recently, Cleveland said, the business tried to cover up alleged illegal activities by offering a legitimate service.

“They supposedly had this Internet service that you could pay to use by purchasing a card. And you could go down there and just surf the Internet if you wanted to, but if you wanted to gamble, you would pay for another card that would convert the computer to a video poker machine,” Cleveland said.

Investigators discovered 21 computers in all at the business that would convert to video poker machines. Winners would then trade in their winning points for cash, Cleveland said, which is illegal in Georgia.