A Henry County man is facing multiple felony charges after an incident involving vandalism and an attempted robbery at a local market, a case that has renewed attention on unregulated gaming machines and their presence in Virginia communities.
On September 27, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) said its deputies responded to a call at J&H Market on Preston Road reporting an armed subject vandalizing the market.
HCSO said the suspect, 41-year-old Thornton Burnette, who has prior felony convictions, became upset after reportedly losing money in the store’s game room. Witnesses told deputies that Burnette demanded money from employees and was “visibly armed with a firearm.”
After leaving the scene briefly, Burnette allegedly returned to the market with a firearm and a cordless angle grinder, which prompted multiple employees and customers to flee the store in fear for their safety, HCSO said.
The sheriff’s office said surveillance footage reviewed by investigators reportedly shows Burnette using the grinder to damage one of the gaming machines before smashing its screen.
Burnette was arrested at his place of employment in Martinsville on September 29 and is currently being held without bond at the Henry County Adult Detention Center.
He has been charged with Attempted robbery; Destruction of property; Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; Use of a firearm in the commission of a felony; and Possession of burglary tools.
With regard to the market’s gaming room, HCSO reportedly said the operation was previously unknown to them and appeared to be used for illegal gambling. The operation is under investigation.
In response to the incident, the advocacy group Virginians Against Neighborhood Slot Machines issued a statement expressing concern over the safety risks posed by unregulated gaming machines.
“Luckily, no store clerks or civilians were injured in this case – but this sort of dangerous crime is a story we hear all too often in the Commonwealth and everywhere dangerous neighborhood slots operate,” the advocacy group said in a statement.
“All bets are off when it comes to the safety of our communities when neighborhood slot machines are around,” the group added.
Virginians Against Neighborhood Slot Machines has been vocal in its opposition to what it describes as “neighborhood slot machines,” advocating for stricter enforcement and legislation to remove unregulated gaming devices from retail locations.
Meanwhile, Virginia continues to see significant growth in its regulated gambling sector, including casinos and online sports betting, which are overseen by the Virginia Lottery.
Since sports betting was legalized in January 2021, Virginia has generated nearly $2 billion in revenue from licensed operators.
In August 2025 alone, adjusted gross revenue from sports betting reached $58.3 million, a 66.6 percent increase from the same month in the previous year. The total handle that month was $510.2 million, with mobile wagering accounting for the vast majority.
Earlier this year, Governor Youngkin vetoed a bill, SB212, that would have legalized and regulated “skill games” across the state.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Virginia Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Image ‘Convenience Store Slots Crime” by Virginians Against Neighborhood Slot Machines.
