BY VINAYA SAKSENA

CENTRAL FALLS — A woman who was discovered operating an eating establishment in a Cowden Street apartment last week has been arrested on charges stemming from this discovery, police said.

According to police, 24-year-old Estrella Magdaleno Torres of 280 Cowden Street was arrested on Monday, Sept. 29 at approximately 7:40 a.m. She is facing charges of forms of gambling prohibited, unlicensed manufacture or distribution of intoxicating liquor and intoxicating beverage for sale without license.
According to Captain Guindon of the Central Falls Police Department Detectives Division, Torres’ residence was investigated after police received reports of food being sold there and alcoholic beverages being served to minors. And while police reported finding, collecting and photographing extensive evidence of the former, they found no evidence of alcohol being served to minors, Guindon noted.
“She cooperated with us,” Guindon said. “We weren’t able to prove that she was selling to minors, but that was the initial report that we had.”
As previously reported in the Times, police detectives reported searching Torres’ apartment, finding “several subjects sitting around tables with food and beers and what appeared to be some form of operation that included a bar that was selling food and alcohol.” Also found in the apartment were order forms “for food and liquor,” as well as a food warmer and two small refrigerators containing cases of beer.
According to a police report of the September 19 search, items found in the apartment included several liquor containers: two packs of Jose Cuervo Tequila, nine 12-packs of Negra Modela and Especial, a 12-pack of Corona, seven bottles of Negra Modela and a single bottle of Corona.
See CHARGES, Page A-2
Police also reportedly seized a Garmin navigation unit, $1,000 in U.S. currency and miscellaneous papers, “including menus and receipts and logs for gambling.”
Guindon said police spoke to Torres through a translator at the time of the search, advising her that charges may be forthcoming. He said it was unclear whether or not she understood the illegality of her operation before the search was conducted.
“It was hard to say,” Guindon said. “I think she knows that she was in the wrong. She understood after we talked to her.”
Guindon said the gambling charge would have to go through a felony screening via the officer of Attorney General Patrick Lynch to determine whether or not there is sufficient evidence to prosecute, in which case it will go to a pretrial hearing. No future court dates for Torres had been announced as of press time. Guindon said that she had been released on personal recognizance, noting that she had a young child living in her apartment.