Choctaw Casino Robbers Who Chased Hyped-Up Jackpot End Up in Slammer
Posted on: August 26, 2025, 07:00h.
Last updated on: August 26, 2025, 07:02h.
- Criminal gang jailed after violent casino robbery scheme fails
- Rumored jackpot inflated victim’s modest Choctaw Casino winnings
- Texas prosecutors secure justice for targeted North Texas gambler
A North Texas man’s modest windfall at the Choctaw Casino in Durant, Okla., ended in a violent robbery when a criminal gang got the wrong end of the stick and believed the win to be far higher than it was.
Now, all four members of the group have been sentenced to between five and 10 years in prison for their part in the scheme, according to prosecutors in Grayson County, Texas.
The victim, who chose to remain anonymous throughout court proceedings, left the casino with his winnings on February 6 this year, according to court documents.
The Durant casino, about 30 miles north of the Texas border, is a popular destination for players from North Texas because of its size and proximity.
Telephone Game
Meanwhile, rumors of the victim’s win spread, and the purported sum ballooned. By the time Paige Sancho heard of it, it was enough to plan for a robbery – a scheme she concocted with her husband, Stephan Sancho, prosecutors said.
They got information that he had just won money at the Choctaw Casino, and so, I believe, they thought it was more than it actually turned out to be,” Bi Hunt, Assistant District Attorney for Grayson County, said in a statement. “So, they came up with this scheme to get that money from him.”
Paige Sancho “lured” the victim to her home in Southmayd, Texas. She then pretended she had to go out briefly, telling him she would be right back. This was the cue for Stephan Sancho and co-defendant Dillon Winchester to enter the house and rob the victim at gunpoint.
Victim Escapes
After he was robbed, the man managed to escape and call 911, and the trio was quickly arrested and later charged with robbery and aggravated robbery. Another man, Shawn Gravette, helped the others leave the scene and was charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, according to prosecutors.
Convictions came in phases, with one in June, another in July, and the final two in August, according to prosecutors.
Stephan Sancho was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of aggravated robbery and engaging in organized criminal activity. Paige Sancho was handed eight years for robbery. Gravette received eight years for organized criminal activity, and Winchester was sentenced to five years for aggravated robbery.
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