Scott Carmitchel, 34, accused of robbery, spending spree
By Justin Wingerter
A Kansas man who drew national attention for his brazen robbery of a Las Vegas casino had previously served time in Topeka and been found unfit for trial in a Shawnee County case.
Scott A. Carmitchel, 34, formerly of Overland Park, was arrested late Tuesday on charges of battery, grand larceny, burglary and robbery with a deadly weapon.
Las Vegas police detectives said about 8:30 p.m. Friday, Carmitchel approached a cashier’s cage at the Bellagio casino, pulled a gun from his backpack and demanded money. The clerk, who told police she feared for her life, obeyed the order, handing the man $43,500.
Las Vegas police believe Carmitchel then went on a spending spree, purchasing an $1,800 pair of black Louis Vuitton shoes and an $800 Louis Vuitton belt, among other items. A tourist visiting from Texas alerted police to Carmitchel when he allegedly paid the tourist $300 to rent him a $405 room at the Hard Rock Hotel.
When Carmitchel was arrested, $10,000 was located in his room, Las Vegas police said. Officers arrested four prostitutes who were leaving with money wrapped with Bellagio labels, according to a police report.
A BB gun, thought to have been used in both the Bellagio robbery and the robbery of a south Las Vegas City National Bank on July 22, also was found in the hotel room. A police report filed Tuesday stated half of the money taken in the casino robbery remained unaccounted for.
Kansas Department of Corrections records show Carmitchel was convicted in Johnson County in 1998 of robbery, a felony, and battery against a law enforcement officer, a misdemeanor, with both crimes having been committed earlier that year.
The records show Carmitchel served prison time on the robbery conviction before being paroled in 2001, then returned to prison for a parole violation later that year.
He also was paroled in 2002 and in 2003 before absconding from parole on each occasion and being returned to prison for parole violations. He was released from prison when his sentence expired in July 2003.
The next time Carmitchel’s name appears in court records is in June 2011, when Shawnee County District Court records show he was charged with one misdemeanor count each of battery against a law enforcement officer and obstructing the legal process or official duty.
He pleaded guilty in September 2011 to battery against a law enforcement officer, with the other charge being dismissed. He was sentenced to 12 months in jail. The sentence was suspended, and he was placed on probation.
Nine months later, in June 2012, Carmitchel was found guilty of violating conditions of his probation and ordered to serve the original sentence in the Shawnee County Jail. After an alleged attack on a Shawnee County corrections officer on Sept. 5, 2012, Carmitchel was charged with battery against a city or county correctional officer.
The next event in Carmitchel’s long legal history is a curious one. In November 2012, Shawnee County District Judge David Debenham concluded that Carmitchel wasn’t competent to stand trial in the battery case “as he does not understand the charge, nor is he able to assist his counsel.”
After a five-month stay at Lansing State Security Hospital, Debenham found Carmitchel competent to stand trial in April 2013. In June, Carmitchel pleaded no contest to an amended felony count of making a criminal threat and was sentenced in July 2013 to 14 months in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections, including time served, followed by 12 months of post-release supervision.
State corrections department records show Carmitchel was paroled in September 2013, then was returned to prison for a parole violation later that month. He was then paroled again in December 2013 before absconding from parole on May 29.
When questioned by detectives about Carmitchel’s behavior Tuesday, four prostitutes seen leaving his room described him as erratic, paranoid and delusional, according to a police report. Las Vegas Police Officer Larry Hadfield said in a statement that officers were forced to hold Carmitchel’s head steady for a mug shot because he “refused to cooperate in any way with the investigation and was combative with officers throughout the booking process.”
According to Las Vegas police, Carmitchel acknowledged his image appears on surveillance footage from the Bellagio but denies he committed the robbery. According to the arrest report, Carmitchel states he entered the casino but doesn’t know what happened next. He also claimed his name was Scott Rice and that he found a black bag containing the money in a Bellagio parking lot.
After refusing to appear in court Wednesday, Carmitchel was brought into the courtroom in a wheelchair and restraints. He kept his eyes shut and remained unresponsive as Clark County District Court Judge Joseph Bonaventure read the charges to him, appointed a public defender to the case and scheduled a preliminary hearing for Aug. 13. Bonaventure said Wednesday that a competency hearing may be needed to determine Carmitchel’s ability to stand trial.
http://cjonline.com/news/2014-07-30/kansas-man-charged-las-vegas-casino-robbery-has-long-criminal-history
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