Police: Uniondale barbershop had secret room with gambling machines; 2 charged

A Uniondale barbershop operating without a valid Town of Hempstead public assembly license was also found to have a hidden room containing gambling machines, police said on Thursday.

Inspectors at the allegedly unlicensed business, Silver Shears Barber Shop on Waverly Place, discovered that the shop had a hidden room, accessible only with a special key fob, that contained five electronic gambling machines, Nassau police said.

Police also seized $17,045 in cash, they said.

Two employees were arrested: Avianela Feliz De Los Santos, 30, of the Bronx, and Ronald Lubin, 52, of Massapequa. Both were charged with second-degree promotion of gambling, as well as possession of gambling devices, unlicensed public assembly and operating an unlicensed bottle club.

Both were issued appearance tickets, police said.

Attempts to reach someone at the shop for comment Thursday were not immediately successful.

De Los Santos, said by police to be in the country illegally, was placed into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, according to Nassau police. 

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press, Society of the Silurians and National Headliner Awards for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing. He is the author of “Swee'pea,” about New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. His debut crime novel, “For Nothing Is Hidden,” rooted in 1950s Long Island, was released in October 2025.