Poker Supply Store in Colorado A Front For Illegal Gambling Operation

The game of poker has unmatched popularity. So when Josh Capadona became the manager at a poker supply store, he never suspected anything illegal going on.

Capadona was one of the people who were spared being arrested after police completed an investigation into an illegal gambling operation.

Dustin Santino was the stores owner. He was arrested on suspicion of running a professional gambling establishment. The charge is a misdemeanor.

Santino was also charged with possessing a weapon by a previous offender, and that charge is a felony.

A stunned Capadona had this to say, "I don't know what happened. But we're basically going to shut down."

The gambling that the police are referring to is a high stakes poker game. The house reportedly took a percentage out of each hand, which made the game illegal.

Michael Trujillo and Troy Vernon were also arrested in the sting, and charged with suspicion of running a professional gambling establishment.

Capandona claimed he had no knowledge of the illegal activity, but did say that he was the one that pretty much ran the day to day operations of the store.

The three men arrested have all been released on bail. Sixteen others were issued tickets for unlawfully engaging in gambling.

Three agencies, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Colorado Division of Gaming, and the Sheriff's criminal impact unit, all contributed to the four month investigation.



2007-12-04