Pennsylvania Gamer Found Guilty of Killing Convenience Store Attendant
In a small convenience store in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, a tragic event unfolded in 2020. The store, Craig's Food Mart, was legally hosting skill-gaming machines, a common practice in the state due to their classification as games of skill rather than chance. However, this classification has been a subject of debate and legal controversy.
Jafet De Jesus Rodriguez, a frequent player of the store's gaming machines, was convicted of murdering Ashokkumar Patel, a convenience store clerk who had been in the job for just one week. Rodriguez shot Patel during a robbery and made off with $14,000.
Forensic analysis of a bloodstain on one item of clothing found at the crime scene revealed a DNA mix from both Rodriguez and the victim. Additionally, GPS and cellphone data linked Rodriguez's device to the crime scene before the murder. Clothes found at a local carwash, which Rodriguez owned, also matched some of those worn by the assailant during the robbery.
Rodriguez was identified on the store's security video wearing a red and orange sweatshirt, black gloves, and a mask with white skull teeth. Rodriguez had admitted to losing a large amount of money gambling at Craig's Food Mart before the robbery and had walked away with about $3,000 in winnings weeks before the crime.
The separate civil lawsuit filed by Patel's family names Pace-O-Matic, the company that supplied the skill-gaming machines. The lawsuit argues that these machines are illegal, a point that remains unresolved under Pennsylvania law. The lawsuit claims the presence of these machines turned the convenience store into an "unsafe mini casino."
Regarding the legal status of skill games, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is still reviewing whether they are truly distinct from slot machines or effectively disguised gambling devices. This has created a legal gray area that contributes to ongoing disputes.
In response to this legal uncertainty, as of August 2025, Pennsylvania State Senators reached a bipartisan deal on legislation to regulate skill games. The proposed bill introduces a monthly $500 fee per machine and caps the number of skill game terminals statewide at 50,000. The bill also allows local governments to impose health and safety rules on businesses hosting these machines. The formal text of the bill has not yet been released, and passage through the Democrat-controlled House remains uncertain.
Established casinos, such as Presque Isle Downs & Casino, are actively opposing skill games due to perceived business impacts, fueling part of the broader legal and political dispute. This casino industry concern highlights the ongoing conflicts between traditional gambling operators and the skill gaming sector.
In conclusion, while skill-gaming machines are currently legal in convenience stores in Pennsylvania, the legal status remains under scrutiny. There is an active legislative effort to regulate and tax these machines, but final legal frameworks are still pending. The tragic murder of Ashokkumar Patel serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers associated with these machines, a point that continues to fuel the ongoing debate.
- Jafet De Jesus Rodriguez, the convicted murderer of Ashokkumar Patel, was a frequent player of the skill gaming machines at Craig's Food Mart.
- Pace-O-Matic, the company that supplied the skill-gaming machines to Craig's Food Mart, is named in a civil lawsuit filed by Patel's family, who argue that these machines are illegal.
- Rodriguez had admitted to losing a large amount of money gambling at Craig's Food Mart before the robbery, and he walked away with about $3,000 in winnings weeks before the crime.
- The Pennsylvania State Senators have reached a bipartisan deal on legislation to regulate and tax skill games, with the proposed bill including a monthly $500 fee per machine and a cap of 50,000 skill game terminals statewide.
- The ongoing dispute over the legal status of skill games in Pennsylvania, including the tragic murder of Ashokkumar Patel, has fueled conflicts between traditional gambling operators and the skill gaming sector, with established casinos such as Presque Isle Downs & Casino actively opposing skill games.
