Exercising a warrant, State Police searched the Cozy Gill early Tuesday morning and the popular Warwick Avenue restaurant was closed for the day.

But yesterday balloons and flags were flying outside the restaurant and scores of loyal customers were enjoying breakfast and coffee.

“It has nothing to do with the Cozy Grill,” said a woman leaving the restaurant with members of her family. Identifying the group as “the Andersons,” the woman said they have breakfast at the grill just about every morning and that whatever transpired leading to the arrest of 17 men Tuesday had nothing to do with the grill.

According to reports, police seized the restaurant computer, cash from the safe and the cell phone of owner Thomas J. Pilderian. Pilderian was at the restaurant Wednesday but preferred not to talk on the record.

According to the About Us section on The Cozy Grill website, www.thecozygrillwarwick.com, “n 1981, Thomas Pilderian Sr. opened The Cozy Grill in Providence after working in the industry for many years. The restaurant was known as a small neighborhood diner and always had great food, along with a friendly atmosphere. In 1997, Tom’s son, Tommy Jr., opened the second location in Warwick.

The arrests were the buzz of social media, as those charged are known locally.

According to State Police the arrests were the result of an eight-month investigation lead by members of the Rhode Island State Police Intelligence Unit and the Office of the Rhode Island Attorney General, along with the execution of arrest warrants and search warrants by the state police, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, Providence Police, Warwick Police, Cranston Police, Scituate Police, North Providence Police, Narragansett Police, East Providence Police, West Warwick Police, Johnston Police, Lincoln Police, Central Falls Police, East Greenwich Police, Woonsocket Police and Newport Police.

The following is a list of subjects arrested and the charges pending: Thomas J. Pilderian, 45, of 55 Pine Ridge Road, Cranston: Bookmaking, Organized Criminal Gambling, and Conspiracy; Mark B. Battista, 39, of 400 Narragansett Parkway, Warwick: Bookmaking, Organized Criminal Gambling, Conspiracy, and three counts of Possession of Controlled Substance; Mark V. Marinaro, 43, of 11 Winward Circle, Warwick: Organized Criminal Gambling and Conspiracy; Jason M. Pilderian, 39, of 25 Talbut Road, Scituate: Organized Criminal Gambling and Conspiracy; Joseph R. Brunelle, 38, of 12 Palm Street, North Providence: Organized Criminal Gambling and Conspiracy; Eric D. Glaude, 40, of 35 Marigold Circle, North Providence: Organized Criminal Gambling and Conspiracy; Dustin R. Sears, 40, of 40 Braeburn Circle, Cranston: Organized Criminal Gambling and Conspiracy; David J. Disano, 42, of 83 West Hill Drive, Cranston: Organized Criminal Gambling and Conspiracy; Jonny E. Lubo, 44, of 111 Wunnegin Circle, Warwick: Organized Criminal Gambling and Conspiracy; James J. Petrella, 31, of 26 Beach Row, Narragansett: Bookmaking, Organized Criminal Gambling, and Conspiracy; Timothy J. Moretti, 46, of 1710 Phenix Avenue, Cranston: Bookmaking, Organized Criminal Gambling, Conspiracy, and Violation of Probation for prior convictions of Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine and Possession of 1 ounce to 1 kilogram of Cocaine; Sean W. Furney, 24, of 48 Roosevelt Street, Warwick: Organized Criminal Gambling and Conspiracy; Brian K. Cipolla, 48, of 178 Council Rock Road, Cranston: Organized Criminal Gambling and Conspiracy; Lewis Silveira, 50, of 154 North Street, Warwick: Organized Criminal Gambling and Conspiracy; John Depietro, 41, of 39 Prospect Avenue, South Kingstown: Possession with intent to deliver 1 to 5 kilos of marijuana, Possession of 1 to 5 kilos of marijuana, and Possession of Adderall with intent to deliver; Christopher R. Costantino, 24, of 10 Cedar Pond Drive, Warwick: Organized Criminal Gambling and Conspiracy; and Joseph A. Capelli, 38, of 58 Firglade Drive, Cranston: Organized Criminal Gambling and Conspiracy.

A person convicted of Organized Criminal Gambling may be imprisoned for not more than five years and fined not more than $10,000. A person convicted of Bookmaking may be punished by a fine not exceeding $500 or imprisonment not exceeding one year, and upon a second conviction of a violation of this section shall be imprisoned for a period not less than one nor more than five years. A person convicted of possession with intent to deliver 1 kilogram to 5 kilograms of marijuana may be imprisoned for a term up to 50 years and fined not more than $500,000.

All seventeen men were arraigned Tuesday in Third Division District Court in Warwick.

The investigation is continuing.

Sean Furney is entering his fourth season as a professional baseball player, recently signing to pitch for the Kansas City T-Bones this season. He is a 2009 graduate of Pilgrim High School and starred as a pitcher for the Pats, before taking the mound for Community College of Rhode Island and University of Rhode Island.

Chris Costantino is a 2009 graduate of Bishop Hendricken High School and was a two-time First Team All-State baseball player. He was drafted in the 49th round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox. He declined to sign and went on to play two seasons at Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tenn. In 2011, he was drafted in the 43rd round by the St. Louis Cardinals. Costantino went on to play a couple of seasons in the minors, but hasn’t played since 2014.