Sheikhan Facing Deportation

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, high-stakes poker regular Shahram "Shawn" Sheikhan, faces deportation for his 1995 California misdemeanor conviction for 'sexual battery and annoyance or molestation of a child.

Despite the fact that Sheikhan maintains full legal residency status and is married to an American Citizen; He was arrested as part of ICE's ongoing 'Operation Predator' program, on August 30, 1995. Virginia Kice of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement noted in a release that "Sheikhan was targeted for ICE arrest because of his criminal history. She said, "We want to see him removed from the United States. After Sheikhan's arrest he was held for over a week before a $10,000 bond was posted for his release.

When convicted, Sheikhan served a nine month prison term and was on probation for the five years, according to the LVRJ report.

Sheikhan, gained notoriety and was brought to the forefront of the poker community during the Main Event of the 2005 WSOP when he engaged Mike "The Mouth" Matusow verbal bantering.

Sheikhan is represented by noted Vegas attorney David Chesnoff, to address this issue. Chesnoff said "We're going to do everything in our power to prevent this." He indicated that there is the possibility that Sheikhan may not have had adequate counsel or representation during the 1995 case.