Poker pro Shawn Sheikhan, known for his World Series of Poker appearances, was sentenced to four years in federal prison on Friday in the United States District Court Southern District of California.
Sheikhan pled guilty in 2022 to conspiracy to distribute marijuana, a federal crime. The veteran poker player had faced a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison and a $5 million fine. The prosecuting attorneys pushed for a 48-month sentence instead, and the Honorable Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo agreed.
In addition to the prison sentence, Sheikhan willingly forfeited nearly $300,000 in cash, which was in the form of casino chips from various poker rooms. There were no additional fines imposed. He is required to self-surrender to the US Marshal Service by noon on January 1st, 2024. After his release, which is scheduled for 2028, Sheikhan will have three years of supervised release.
Last month, Sheikhan’s attorneys filed a memorandum with the court asking for prison time to be replaced with probation and community service. He also received a letter of support from Poker Hall of Famer and PokerGO president Mori Eskandani, among others.
Sheikhan has more than $1.6 million in live tournament winnings at the poker tables, where his biggest win was at the 2005 WSOP main event, where he stood 11th and won $600,000.
From a date unknown until February 24, 2022, per his admission, along with his co-defendant, knowingly and intentionally conspired to distribute 100 kilograms and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana, a Schedule 1 controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(c) and 846.
Sheikhan ran a marijuana business
From “at least” 2019 to early 2022, Sheikhan and associates ran a profitable, unlicensed illegal marijuana business dubbed ‘Cannaland.’ The primary goal of the company was to wholesale marijuana and marijuana products to illegal cannabis enterprises, mostly in San Diego County.
As per federal prosecutors, Cannaland also served as an unlicensed, illegal marijuana dispensary, serving individual customers.
Authorities executed a search warrant on April 7th, 2021, at a 3,400-square-foot business Sheikhan helped run in Spring Valley, California, a town near San Diego. More than 3,000 pounds of marijuana were seized during the search, with a street value of roughly $6 million.
Additionally, five firearms were seized from the site. According to court documents, after the search and seizure, Sheikhan and his co-defendant conspired to organize and facilitate the acquisition of replacement firearms for workers guarding their illegal cannabis enterprise.
Sheikhan appeared regularly on shows like High Stakes Poker and Poker After Dark. His televised poker appearances often included some friction with other players, including Mike Matusow and Phil Hellmuth.
In 1995, he was convicted of sexual battery and annoyance or molestation of a 17-year-old in California. As per the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Sheikhan served nine months in jail and five years of probation for the crime. This later prompted deportation proceedings against Sheikhan in 2007, but he was ultimately allowed to stay in the country.
