Missouri Casino Crimes

Two St. Louis men charged after robbery at River City casino

ST. LOUIS COUNTY • Two St. Louis men were charged today in a robbery early this morning outside the River City casino.

Maurice T. Wilson, 25, and Kenneth R. Wilson, 19, both of the 5000 block of Minerva Avenue, were charged with first-degree robbery and armed criminal action, police said. Wilson also was charged with resisting arrest by fleeing. Bail for both suspects was set at $100,000.

The relationship of the suspects was unclear; St. Louis County police spokesman Rick Eckhard said he didn't know if they were related.

St. Louis County police said a man was robbed on the parking lot of the casino, in south St. Louis County, about 2 a.m. The amount of money stolen was not released.

Police spotted the suspects' car and said the men tried to outrun officers. They fled into Illinois, but drove into a cornfield off of Route 3. The driver was arrested immediately.

A passenger ran off but was captured about three hours later in Dupo, police say. He was found, covered in mud, walking along Interstate 255.

Eckhard said the victim, who was not hurt, talked to a police officer working outside the casino. The officer quickly contacted dispatchers with a description of the suspects' car.

"Anyone who chooses (to commit robbery on) a casino parking lot is actually foolish because casinos on the inside contain the Highway Patrol and on the outside we do the security and there are a lot of surveillance cameras," Eckhard said. "It's a terrible place (for robberies), but lucky for us these people aren't always the brightest."



St. Louis County man sues Casino Queen after 'follow-home' robbery
BY NICHOLAS J.C. PISTOR


CLAYTON • A St. Louis County man has sued the Casino Queen, claiming the East St. Louis casino failed to protect him after he won $17,500 at a black jack table.

Mark Myers claimed the Casino Queen did not offer him "an alternative form of payment, such as a check, did not offer him a more private place in which to conduct his transaction, did not offer to provide him with a secure egress from the premises, and did not warn plaintiff that he was being openly stalked by two suspicious persons."

The suit, filed in St. Louis County on June 10, alleges Myers was followed home late at night on April 12, 2009 by two people after the casino got him a taxi cab. Myers was then robbed and shot by two assailants.


Suspect arrested in Lumière Place garage carjacking


ST. LOUIS • A suspect has been arrested in a carjacking overnight in the parking garage of Lumière Place casino downtown, police say.

The 21-year-old victim told police he had gone to get something from his car, a 2007 Mercedes S550 about 11:35 p.m. Tuesday at the casino garage, 999 N. Second Street. He saw a man get out of another car and walk toward him carrying a gun.

The gunman told the victim to put his belongings, including the keys to his car, in a bag. He followed the gunman's orders.

When the gunman saw a security officer, he put the gun in his pocket and told the victim to walk toward the elevators.

The gunman got into the victim's Mercedes and drove away. The victim told the security officer what had happened, police say. The victim was not injured.

The gunman was described as a black man, about 30 years old, 5-foot-8, 180 pounds, with a dark complexion and short black hair. He was wearing a black coat and dark pants and was armed with a small black handgun.

Police had no description of a man who was driving the car the suspect arrived in, possibly a Pontiac.

Wednesday afternoon, police said they had arrested a 21-year-old suspect, believed to have been the driver of the car used in the robbery. The gunman has not been arrested.