Slots Theft Scam Comes to an End

After running a scam that ran for almost four years, Mark Anthony Valenzuela has been brought to justice.  He has been indicted on charges of stealing up to $269,000 from Casino del Sol in Tucson.  Valenzuela, 32, was a former slot machine technician for the tribal casino complex.  Under the guise of routine maintenance checks, Valenzuela allegedly forced the machines to print winning tickets.  He then had other individuals cash them in for him.

Valenzuela’s theft began in November 2001 say government officials.  Valenzuela continued his scheme for over threes-and-a-half years.  Law enforcement began investigating the case after a casino employee informed management of the suspicious slots tickets.  Should Valenzuela be convicted he faces serious charges.  According to federal law he could face fines up to $1 million and serve a maximum of 20 years in prison for theft from a tribal gambling establishment.

The investigation of Valenzuela’s slot machine scheme involved officials from all over: the Pascua Yaqui Police Department, the tribe’s Attorney General’s office, the Arizona Department of Gaming, the Pascua Yaqui Tribal Gaming Office, and the FBI.

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