Sandia Pueblo dropped from national gaming program

Sunday, Jan. 30, 2000 | 2:25 a.m.

The National Indian Gaming Commission removed the tribe from the program late last year after a former chief inspector for the Sandia Gaming Commission revealed that 34 casino employees had criminal records.

Former chief inspector Patricia Miskovich of Albuquerque alleges she was fired in October after reporting her findings and, acting on the commission's orders, initiating action to terminate the employees.

Some employees protested and tribal and casino officials outside the three-member tribal gaming commission became involved in reviewing the cases. The tribe reinstated 19 of the employees and the other 15 lost their casino jobs.

Miskovich said that her firing was proof the tribe doesn't want its gaming operations regulated by anyone - an allegation the tribe disputes.

Sandia Gov. Stuwart Paisano called Miskovich as a "disgruntled" former employee.

"In any enterprise of this size, with 800 employees, there are going to be some problems," he said. "We are operating the casino in the best interests of the tribe, our patrons and the community."

Under the program, the tribe sent the national commission a one-page summary of an employee background investigation. Now, Sandia must submit all documents it gathers.

Eighty tribal gaming commissions were participating in the program when Sandia was removed. Only one other tribe has been dropped, a spokesman for the national gaming commission said.

Sandia attorney David Miekle said being dropped from the program wasn't a big deal, and only meant more paperwork.

He also said tribal officials intervened on behalf of the fired workers because they were concerned about fairness.

Sandia's gaming regulations say its commission "shall not" license anyone who has been convicted or pleaded guilty or no contest to a felony, or anyone who omits material information about his or her criminal background on an application.

"These were new regulations and the council members were concerned about how they were being applied," Miekle said. "All of these people had been okayed by the National Indian Gaming Commission."

Steve Penhall, Casino Sandia's general manager, said he was asked to review the background investigations by the tribe. After reviewing the files, he urged the gaming commission to give 31 employees their licenses back.

"Some of these people had worked for the casino for five years without any problem," Penhall said. "I thought that should be taken into consideration."