Washington State revoke gambling license of Hells Angel

The Washington State Gambling Commission is seeking to revoke the license of a Spokane Valley card room security officer because of his ties with the Hells Angels motorcycle club. An anonymous tip led investigators to Frank S. Nakayama, a security supervisor at Ringo’s Little Vegas Casino. He was seen on casino surveillance tapes wearing his club “colors” in the card room. Because the Hells Angels is considered a “criminal offender cartel,” members are not allowed to work in the state’s tightly regulated gambling industry, said Gary Drumheller, the commission’s Eastern Region manager. “The commission has the power to revoke licenses and at this point we feel there is a danger to the public interest because of his affiliation with the Hells Angels,” Drumheller said. “And him being in gaming, we think that the combination is not a good combination.” Nakayama had been the vice president and acting-president of the Washington Nomad Chapter of the Hells Angels in Spokane. The club’s president, Richard “Smilin’ Rick” Fabel, and three other current or former members are on trial on racketeering charges in U.S. District Court in Seattle. Nakayama, 42, faces no criminal charges and is not a defendant in the racketeering conspiracy trial. Nakayama has until April 6 to respond to the commission’s actions and request a hearing before a state administrative law judge. He declined to comment when reached at the card room Wednesday. Nakayama, who was photographed at a police raid on the outlaw biker group’s Spokane headquarters in 2006, told investigators he is no longer was affiliated with the Hells Angels. The Gambling Commission issued a state “card room employee” license to him in 2005. The case is believed to be the first time the Gambling Commission has identified a member of a so-called outlaw motorcycle club who has gotten a license. In a 30-page civil revocation notice, the commission cited six provisions of state law that are being violated by having a Hells Angel work at the state-licensed casino. The casino could face revocation or suspension of its license, or a fine if it can be established that its owners knowingly violated state law, Drumheller said. Nakayama has no ownership interest in the casino, according to the state documents. As a security supervisor, Nakayama had access to the office where casino cash is counted. He also had access to casino gaming chips and cards, the cashiers’ cage and credit slips, access to an ATM machine at the facility and the establishment’s accounting office and records, according to commission documents. Information from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesmanreview.com