Cali Judge Sentences Men Who Robbed Illegal Gambling Den to Decades, Centuries in Prison

The robbery of an illegal gambling house in Sacramento should not have been the type of crime that elicits the most serious ramifications from the courts, but in the case of repeat offenders John Edward Blount and Eddie Lee White, the act has become their undoing.

Illegal Gambling Dine Robbery Ends up with Centuries of Prison Sentences

In a judgment rendered by Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael Sweet, White will have to serve 40 years and eight months behind bars, with Blount to spend 301 years (to life) away.

The violent home invasion targeted a south Sacramento residence on the 3700 block of 42nd Avenue that was operating as an illegal gambling den. According to prosecutors, the incident unfolded around 1:20 am on January 22, 2018, when at least four individuals stormed into the garage of the property.

Judge Sweet is following the law rather than misinterpreting it, as both men have previous convictions and have broken the Three Strikes law that is applied indiscriminately in the state.

Blount faced particularly severe sentencing exposure due to prior convictions that qualified as “strikes” under California law, significantly enhancing his punishment. White also had a criminal history that contributed to the length of his sentence. Judge Sweet cited the violence of the robbery, the defendants’ records, and multiple sentencing enhancements when imposing the lengthy terms.

The pair was sentenced on Tuesday, February 10, after Blount and White were found guilty of six and three counts of robbery and attempted robbery, respectively, back in November.

A jury on November 21, 2025, convicted both men, with Blount additionally found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to a Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office press release.

Three Strikes and You Go Away for Good

The original crime dates back to January 2018, but it has taken until now to resolve. Interestingly, when the robbery was underway, a woman responsible for the CCTV at the venue did phone in 911, reporting the crime, and thus giving away the whereabouts of the illegal gambling den as well.

During the break-in, prosecutors said the men were armed, and multiple victims were held at gunpoint, forced to the ground, physically assaulted, and even had furniture thrown at them. Investigators later recovered a firearm believed to have been used in the robbery and found two suspects carrying many of the victims’ belongings, while other assailants fled as deputies arrived.

The case spanned nearly eight years, from the 2018 attack to last fall’s trial, concluding this week with the heavy sentences handed down by the court.