Meridian Man Sentenced to Running Illegal Gambling Operation

BOISE—Kings Daniel Santy, 44, of Meridian, Idaho, was sentenced today at the U.S. Courthouse in Boise for operating an illegal gambling business, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge sentenced Santy to serve two years of probation, pay a $3,000 fine, serve three months of home detention, and complete 100 hours of community service. Santy was also ordered to forfeit $16,262.87 in seized currency and at least $100,000 in cash proceeds. Santy pled guilty to one count of operating an illegal gambling business on February 3, 2014.

According to court proceedings, Santy admitted to continuously running two illegal gambling establishments over the past seven years. Federal search warrants were served in April 2013 at the illegal gambling establishments, one located at 37 North Kings Street, Nampa, Idaho, and one located at 6655 West Victory Road, Boise, Idaho. Santy admitted that he began hosting poker games at the Boise location in 2006 and at the Nampa location in 2008. Santy advised law enforcement that he profited approximately $50,000 a year from his gambling business. The gambling establishments had generated numerous citizen complaints over the past several years, and in 2012, Boise police responded to the gambling establishment in Boise after an individual died of a drug overdose.

This case was investigated by the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force. The task force is composed of federal, state, and local agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Boise Police Department; Ada County Sheriff’s Office; Caldwell Police Department; Nampa Police Department; Meridian Police Department; Canyon County Sherriff’s Office; and the Idaho Department of Correction. The Metro Task Force was assisted by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.