MISSOURI, A casino employee has been arrested and charged in connection with a large armed robbery at the Isle of Capri casino, while a second suspect and more than $1.27 million in stolen cash remain unaccounted for.
According to prosecutors, 21-year-old Benjamin Michael-Dass Charles faces charges including first-degree robbery, armed criminal action, and tampering with physical evidence.
Court documents state that two individuals dressed in black entered the casino during the incident. One suspect was reportedly armed with an AR-15-style rifle, while the other carried a semi-automatic pistol.
Authorities said the suspects went directly to the cashier area, jumped over the counter, and accessed the main bank section of the casino, where they took approximately $1,276,000 in cash.
As they attempted to flee, one of the suspects dropped the firearm they were carrying. A casino patron then confronted and tackled the individual with the rifle.
During the altercation, the second suspect reportedly struck the patron multiple times, allowing both individuals to escape from the scene.
Investigators later located a 1998 Ford Taurus believed to have been used in the escape on Howard County Road 344. Inside the vehicle, authorities discovered a receipt that led them to identify Charles as a suspect.
Officials also reported finding several homemade explosive devices in the vehicle.
The Missouri Gaming Commission confirmed that Charles was employed at the casino at the time of the incident.
Authorities detained Charles the following day at approximately 7 p.m. when he arrived for his work shift.
According to court records, Charles admitted to planning the robbery for about a month and identified a second suspect involved in the crime. He also stated that both the stolen money and the rifle had been taken out of state.
Law enforcement continues to search for the second suspect and recover the remaining stolen funds as the investigation remains ongoing.
