Indians Say Games Are Legal : Sheriff’s Deputies Raid Rincon Poker Casino; 30 Cited

Fifty deputy sheriffs raided the Rincon Indians’ poker casino Friday night, citing about 30 patrons for allegedly playing an illegal brand of poker.

Sheriff’s Lt. John Tenwolde said the patrons were playing “Pai Gow” and “Super Pan-9,” which he said is a violation of state law because the games involved individual players serving as the bank.

The players were cited for misdemeanor violations and were released on their own recognizance.

Tenwolde said uniformed officers announced themselves with bullhorns just before 9 p.m. and halted operations at the tables where the two games were being played. “There was money all over the place,” Tenwolde said. “This is one more example of illegal gambling originating on Indian reservations.”

The casino, which opened Oct. 4, was not closed down during the raid. Other customers continued to play low-ball and draw poker.

Tribal Chairman Max Mazzetti said the raid was politically motivated and that the citations would be contested in court.

“We were told by our attorney that we were . . . within the laws,” Mazzetti said in an interview outside the hall.

Craig Phillips, 40, manager of the operation, said the same games are played in Los Angeles without legal difficulties and he was at a loss to explain why his hall was targeted by the Sheriff’s Department.

“They’re trying to give the Indians a hard time,” he said. “This (raid) is definitely wrong.”

Since the casino opened, the poker games have contributed $50,000 to the Rincon tribe, and the games employ 45 Indians.

“Maybe they want to prevent them (the Indians) from earning an income,” Phillips said.

The raid was based on a search warrant issued Thursday giving deputies authority to seize the gaming tables, money, cards, chips and other equipment.

On Friday, the district attorney’s office issued a misdemeanor complaint against Phillips for allegedly allowing the illegal gambling to occur under his management.

As players were booked and photographed inside the gambling hall, many grumbled and groused, saying they had played the same games in Los Angeles without running afoul of the law.

But deputies said the operation was operating illegally. “This is not a gray area,” Sgt. Liz Foster said. “The banking is such that one player--not the house--serves as the banker. This is considered illegal. It is prohibited by the penal code.”

The Indians had hoped that the poker and adjoining bingo hall would boost tribal income, but the gaming operations have yet to produce a profit. The bingo hall is now under its third manager.