Casino Crime Roundup: Deadly Shooting at Nugget Casino Was Justified

Posted on: April 19, 2024, 01:42h. 

Last updated on: April 19, 2024, 09:24h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More

Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

The recent fatal shooting in a parking garage at Sparks, Nev.’s Nugget Casino Resort was justified, police announced on Thursday.

That likely means that no charges will be lodged against the shooter, Nicholas Gaylon.

Based on initial details released by Sparks police, Vincent Wilks, who was wearing a ski mask, was in the garage on April 6 when he approached a parked car, Reno, Nev. TV station KRNV reported. Wilks then opened a passenger door to the car and pointed a firearm at Gaylon, who was seated inside, police said.

Sensing his life was in danger, Gaylon reached for his own firearm and shot Wilks, who later died from his wounds.

The incident was connected to an alleged drug deal. Gaylon was not involved in the botched transaction, police said.

Gaylon had agreed to take a passenger in his car. That person was linked to the drug deal, police said. The passenger wasn’t present when the shooting took place, police added.

Man Accused of Having Sex with Minor at Casino

A man was arrested recently after he allegedly had sex with a minor female at Missouri’s River City Casino Hotel.

Christopher Recker of Affton, Mo., was charged with second-degree child molestation, according to St. Louis TV station KTVI.

Recker allegedly went to the gaming property’s hotel on February 23 after he read an ad. He paid the girl $150 for sex, police said.

Recker was booked and was in custody as of early this week. His bond was set at $300K and he was scheduled to appear in local court.

Two Additional Sex Arrests

In February, two women were charged with recruiting, harboring, and transporting a 16-year-old girl to the same casino after a sex-trafficking investigation.

Angel Henderson of Florissant, Mo., and Mack Mitchell of Memphis, Tenn., both were charged. The victim was involved in multiple incidents.

The incident came to light after a casino employee reported suspicious activity to authorities.

The arrests led to a statement from the casino’s parent company, Penn Entertainment. It said in part:

We take the issue of combatting human trafficking very seriously. Every front-of-house employee … undergoes an extensive human trafficking training course, which outlines the prevalence of the problem, and it teaches our employees the signs and symptoms to look out for that may be indicative of human trafficking.”

It’s not clear if the Recker arrest and the double arrest are connected.

Police didn’t reveal what happened to the teenager in either incident. Often, victims of sex trafficking are given counseling.