BOISE - A Boise man who prosecutors say helped conceal an illegal poker house run out of a rental property he owns has pleaded guilty to a gambling-related felony and could spend up to three years behind bars.

Skinner "Skip" Anderson II entered his plea in U.S. District Court in Boise on Monday with Magistrate Court Judge Candy Dale.

U.S. District Attorney Wendy Olson says Anderson acknowledged trying to hide an illegal gambling operation that he knew was operated from a house he owns southwest of the Idaho capital city's downtown.

The 57-year-old is now due to be sentenced in February and could also be hit with a fine of up to $250,000.

Anderson committed the crime "by failing to stop the illegal gambling business" and not telling authorities about it as soon as he learned of the operation, as is required by federal law, according to court documents.

In addition to possibly putting Anderson behind bars and levying the fine, the federal government is also trying to seize the rental home where people played cards for money.

The home, valued at $205,000 by the Ada County Assessor's Office, is owned by Kestrel Investments. Anderson owns the business along with his wife, Julie Anderson.

Contacted at his home on Monday by telephone, Skinner Anderson declined to speak with a reporter.

Jeffery E. Nona, his lawyer, didn't return a phone call.

According to court records, Nampa resident Kings Santy leased the home beginning in 2008.

Investigators say Santy told them he originally told Anderson he was going to run an auto repossession company from the residence, but that Anderson learned of the gambling two or three years ago when he was called by the disgruntled wife of a man who had lost money on a game there.

"Santy states that Anderson had questioned him about conducting card games at the Victory house and that Santy admitted that he was holding poker tournaments there," FBI agent Douglas Hart wrote in a court affidavit. "Anderson told Santy that he didn't care what Santy was doing on the property so long as it didn't cause Anderson trouble."

Federal court records indicate no charges have been filed against Santy, though affidavits indicate law enforcement agents seized from him and other managers at the home cash in excess of $16,000, as well as playing cards, card cases, chips, poker tables and gambling ledgers.

At least so far, prosecutors haven't said if there's a criminal investigation underway against him or anybody else linked to the case. Santy didn't immediately return a phone call seeking comment Monday.

Gambling is illegal in Idaho, but there have been several recent arrests in Boise in addition to the case involving Anderson.

In July, four people, including three from one family, were arrested as authorities seized poker tables, chips, cards and cash in connection with poker games the police say were being run out of a pair of houses.