Nevada’s Sierra Sid’s Casino Site of Armed Robbery, Bandits on the Loose

Posted on: April 21, 2022, 03:22h. 

Last updated on: April 21, 2022, 12:17h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

Sparks, Nev., police continue to search for the robbers who held up a man earlier this week at Sierra Sid’s Casino. No one appeared to have suffered injuries during the incident.

Sierra Side's Casino
A sign for Sierra Sid’s Casino, located in Sparks, Nev., pictured above. The casino was the site of a holdup earlier this week. (Image: TripAdvisor)

Initially, local police were notified that a stabbing took place at the Sparks gaming property at about 3:40 AM Monday. But when officers arrived, it turned out it was a holdup.

Many of those involved had possessed some type of weapons, KRNV, a local TV station, reported. A victim was located inside the casino. The victim explained he had been robbed. It appears he was not stabbed. It was unclear how much money or personal items were stolen from the man.

Sparks is located about four miles east of Reno. The casino is located inside of a truck stop.

Caught on Tape

Police said they have video of the incident from surveillance cameras, KOLO, a local TV station, reported. The robbery was believed to be an isolated incident, the report added, quoting police sources.

The robbers and other people involved in the incident had fled before police arrived at the casino. Police were still searching for the suspects or people of interest as of  Thursday.

Secret Witness is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the suspects, KRNV said.

Prior Robberies

The Reno-Sparks region has seen robberies and violent crimes in recent months.

In November, a man tried to rob Sierra Sid’s Casino, KOLO reported. He walked up to the cashier’s cage and displayed a firearm. He then demanded money. He was unable to get into the cashier’s cage. He eventually fled from the casino. He grabbed a purse from a woman standing by a slot machine on the casino floor on the way out.

A month earlier, an employee at Reno’s Peppermill Resort Spa Casino suffered stab wounds. The victim received cuts on his head. They were not life-threatening. The suspect was apprehended at the crime scene.

Last June, it was revealed that two men were convicted on murder charges. It stems from a fatal attempted robbery of a man that they met at a Reno casino. Daniel Shadow Bear Hutchinson, 24, and Justin Tyron Jackson, 55, both of Chiloquin, Ore., were found guilty of first-degree murder and attempted robbery using a deadly weapon, according to KOLO.

The verdict was announced following a three-week jury trial at Nevada’s Washoe District Court. Both men entered not guilty pleas.

The victim was Christopher Dressler, 37, of Sparks. The defendants met the victim at Reno’s Club Cal Neva Casino on Oct. 11, 2019.

Later, the duo and Dressler walked to California Avenue, where they allegedly attempted to rob him in a vacant lot. Hutchinson then allegedly shot Dressler in the chest. Dressler was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The two men were arrested a short time later.