Aug 3, 2007 3:19 pm US/Pacific
Employee Suspected Of Robbing San Jacinto Casino
SAN JACINTO, Calif. (CBS) ―
An employee of the Soboba Indian Casino allegedly bound and gagged at least four co-workers, locked them in vaults and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash Thursday, a sheriff's investigator said.
The suspect, Rolando Luda Ramos, of Hemet, has worked at the casino for two years as a technician repairing and maintaining its video surveillance systems, Riverside County Assistant Sheriff Pat McManus said.
"He is an employee himself, so he had on a uniform that would gain him access to parts of the casino," said Riverside County Assistant Sheriff Pat McManus. "When he made access, he was able to produce a handgun and use that to overpower the victims."
Sheriff's deputies called to the casino at 23333 Soboba Road about 5:15 a.m. had to force their way into two vaults, he said.
The first vault had three people inside, all bound and gagged with tape, McManus said.
The second vault had at least one other person inside, bound and gagged and pepper-sprayed, McManus said.
Ramos may have had accomplices in the heist, but he is the only one to be identified at this point, McManus said.
According to casino officials, the venue is required to keep at least $2 million in the vaults, and employees were still counting the money to determine the loss, McManus said.
Ramos pleaded guilty to DUI and was sentenced to 36 months probation last December, which he was still serving, according to court records.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
