VICE UNIT CHECKS HONESTY OF GAMES AT THE A.V. FAIR.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

Farmers, country musicians and cotton candy sellers aren't the only ones working at the Antelope Valley Fair. So is the sheriff's vice squad, which is out looking for rigged games.

Visiting the carnival area at the fair Friday night was the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's undercover vice squad checking games for skill, marked instructions and honesty.

Testing games, reading signs and asking questions, Deputy Bobby Beals and his vice unit crew were trying to make sure that each game has an element of skill.

``Games with only chance, like slot machines are illegal,'' Beals said. ``When you have no control over the outcome, it's illegal.''

Beals checked to see that each of the game booths had clear instructions and that cost and prize information was properly displayed.

``I check to see that the prize can be reasonably accomplished,'' Beals said. ``I want to be able to walk up to a game booth and know what the cost is, what I have to do and what I'm going to win.

``Otherwise, it could lead to potential conflict with a customer.''

Fifty game booths can be found in the carnival area of the Antelope Valley Fair, which runs through Sept. 7.

While deputies told numerous vendors to better specify aspects of their games, no citations were issued during their initial inspection.

But the vice squad is expected to return to the carnival on unannounced visits.

Beals, a 25-year veteran who has worked for vice for 15 years, is considered the resident expert of carnival games for the Sheriff's Department.

``I started working with the old crew,'' said Beals, adding that the unit used to be called Vice Special Investigations. ``As personnel changed I became the expert.''

Through his years of service, Beals has seen a change in carnival games.

``My feeling is that the carnival has changed,'' Beals said. ``It's now a legitimate merchandising endeavor.''

Beals is also an expert in cockfighting and dogfighting.

A day before the fair, the vice squad conducted a prostitution sting and then a reverse prostitution sting.

After arresting seven women on suspicion of prostitution along Sierra Highway, deputies sent in a female decoy targeting their male customers.

During a two-day operation, deputies took 12 men into custody.

``The working girls are getting the men as they're going in to work,'' said Sgt. Dale Schirman. ``Most of our violations came before dark.''

One arrest was made just outside the fairgrounds.