SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. -- A controversial adult store in Sumter County is again the target of investigators. Tuesday, deputies raided the X-Mart Super Store off I-75, pulling thousands of illegal DVDs and videos off the shelves.
The sheriff's office is determined to shut down the business, even though Tuesday's raid was part of a larger investigation involving several stores.
Investigators hauled out box after box full of adult DVDs and videos. They said the X-mart Super Store was selling as many as 20,000 movies illegally, because none of them contained the non-rating or 'N/R' marker that's required by law on the outside of the package.
The X-Mart has been a popular target for authorities in the past, as citizen complaints continue to pour in about the adult business. The community has made it clear that X-Mart isn't welcome. There have been prostitution busts there and, just last month, a part owner, John Souliguine, was sentenced to a year in jail following his trial for selling an obscene DVD.
GET WFTV NEWS HEADLINES BY EMAIL9 a.m. HeadlinesNoon Headlines4 p.m. HeadlinesNews of the StrangeBreaking News AlertsCapt. Gary Brannen said Tuesday's raid was not just about X-Mart. Brannen said it's actually the result of a two-month, countywide investigation designed to stop the illegal sale of DVDs and videos.
Just last week, deputies busted the nearby Webster flea market. In that case, 1,000 DVDs, either copied illegally or missing rating labels, were seized. Deputies arrested three employees selling merchandise there.
While investigators said no workers at the X-Mart have been arrested, they want the State Attorney's Office to file charges against the overall corporation that owns and operates the X-Mart.
There's no denying the sheriff's office will keep up the pressure on the store, with another trial now expected after Tuesday's bust.
"This act is us using the laws that are available to us to curb a nuisance," Capt. Brannen said.
The Sumter County Sheriff's Office said, while most of the DVDs and videos have been removed from the store, there are still adult items for sale and video booths available for public use, so the store remains open.
