Colorado Poker Supply Store Caught Running Illegal Games

A poker supply store in Colorado has been raided on charges of illegal gambling. Not surprisingly, the owner of the store was operating a high stakes poker game in the back of the shop. After a joint investigation spanning four months, authorities have raided the premises, arresting 3 and issuing a summons to 16 others.

To most of the residents of Greeley and Fort Collins, the Front Range Poker Supply in Greeley, Colorado, was just as the name suggests, a poker supply shop. The business operated as a full service poker supply company, building custom poker tables on site, and stocking a large assortment of chips, cards, and most anything else a poker player could need. Apparently, they even supplied the action for anyone looking to get involved with a high stakes game of Texas Hold'em.

Even though the connection between the high stakes poker game going on in the back room, and the business of selling poker supplies, may seem obvious to some people, it clearly was no obvious to everyone. As incredible as it may sound, even the manager of the poker supply store didn't know exactly what was going on, despite being the one in charge of the daily operations of the business.

"I don't know what happened," Josh Capadona, Manager of the poker supply store, said in a press statement given after the raid. "But we're basically going to shut down."

Police questioned Capadona about the illegal poker game, but believing he knew nothing about what was going on, released him without filing charges. The owner of Front Range Poker Supply, 28 year-old Dustin Santino, was not so lucky. Santino was arrested and charged on suspicion of running a professional gambling establishment. While that charge is a misdemeanor, Santino was also charged with a felony count of being a previous felony offender in possession of a firearm.