Former poker dealer Jason Saliba, who was employed at JACK Cleveland Casino, pleaded guilty to nine gambling violations.
The 51-year-old Saliba was indicted in October on 14 casino gaming law violations, a fifth-degree felony, and misdemeanor theft. Saliba was charged 14 times due to investigators finding 14 instances where he took chips from cash game pots.
Though Saliba originally claimed he was innocent, he and his lawyers entered a plea deal that will see him stay out of prison. However, he is now permanently banned from the JACK and cannot contact them. He also must pay fines related to the charges.
The charges stemmed from an incident that took place in early September when a player at the JACK witnessed Saliba lifting chips from the pot. After the casino found the player was telling the truth, the Ohio Casino Control Commission was called in to investigate further. He was fired the next day.
It’s unclear who taught Saliba how to deal poker but, clearly, this wasn’t in his training.
Saliba was found to have stolen less than $1,000, which reduced the felony charge to a misdemeanor. He could have faced up to a year in jail for the felony charge or 180 days for the misdemeanor but avoided prison altogether.
If anything, this serves as a serious lesson for all players learning how to play poker. Always be aware of what’s happening at the table.