Five people pleaded not guilty to gambling charges in Circuit Court Thursday in connection with Products Direct Sweepstakes gaming machines.

Tracy Yoshimura, owner of PJY Enterprises, a distributor of the gaming machines, is charged with 257 counts. His bail was confirmed at $250,000.

The four others in court Thursday were Eugene Simeona Jr., his brother Clayton Simeona, Gary Danley, and Alexander Alejandro.

Judge Richard Perkins confirmed bail for Simeona at $200,000 and $50,000 for the remaining three. All posted bail except Alejandro, who appeared by camera from Oahu Community Correctional Center. He remains in custody on a separate Hawaii island warrant.

Four other people indicted will be arraigned on Monday, said Yoshimura’s attorney Keith Kiuchi. Those four are: Quentin Canencia, Desiree Haina, Michael Miller, and Michael Madali. 

Last week, an Oahu grand jury returned a 414-count indictment charging them with various crimes including racketeering, gambling promotion, possession of gambling devices, and money laundering.

The indictment came one day after U.S. District Judge Leslie Kobayashi ruled that the Products Direct Sweepstakes machines are gambling devices.

Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro said at a news conference on Monday that the indictment came after a three-year investigation and the seizure of 200 Products Direct Sweepstakes machines at seven companies and 14 locations.