Rhode Island’s Twin River Casino Site of Armed Robbery, Suspects on the Loose

Posted on: July 22, 2021, 07:30h. 

Last updated on: July 24, 2021, 09:21h.

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

Two thieves — one of whom was wearing a SpongeBob tee shirt — robbed two men early Wednesday outside of Lincoln, R.I.’s Twin River Casino. A gun was shown by one of the robbers, but the victims escaped injury.

Police released descriptions of the suspects
Lincoln, RI police SUV, pictured above. Lincoln cops are searching for the two robbers who held up two men outside of Twin River Casino. (Image: Lincoln PD)

The would-be robbers first approached the victims in a parking lot after they exited their car at about 2:25 am, according to WPRI, a local TV station. The men talked briefly.

Then, one of the robbers displayed a firearm tucked in his waistband. The victims were ordered to get on the ground. Next, they were ordered to turn over their money.

During the course of the robbery, the suspect with the gun removed the weapon from his waistband. He pointed it at the head of one of the victims. Before fleeing, the robbers told the victims to walk toward the casino building. The victims followed the robbers’ directions and once inside the casino, they notified casino security officers, who, in turn, notified local police about the holdup.

Police released descriptions of the suspects. Both appeared to be in their 20s. One was a Black male, who was about 6-feet, 2-inches tall. The other was the white male who was wearing the SpongeBob shirt. He was on the shorter side.

Prior Twin River Robberies

A Connecticut man was sentenced earlier this month to four years in prison for allegedly punching, knocking down, and robbing a 62-year-old player at Twin River Casino.

The case dates back to 2019, when Isaiah Snell, 27, of Putnam, scoped out the victim on the gaming floor while he was counting a large amount of cash, police said.

Snell followed the man to the parking lot. He then told the man that he was carrying a gun, police said. Snell, however, never displayed a firearm. When the victim tried to flee, Snell assaulted him. The victim eventually handed over $1,500.

Snell then fled from the gaming property lot. Lincoln police were able to track Snell’s movements by viewing surveillance video.

Under a plea deal, Snell will spend four years in a Rhode Island state prison. In total, Snell was sentenced by Superior Court Justice Maureen B. Keough to eight years. But half of the sentence was suspended with probation.

Snell must also pay $1,500 to the victim. Under the plea deal, he also will undergo substance abuse counseling and cannot have contact with the victim.

He pleaded no contest to two charges in Providence Superior Court. These charges include the first-degree robbery of a person over 60 and assault on a person over 60 causing bodily injury.

Knifepoint Robbery

In a similar crime during 2020, a 69-year-old casino player was tailed by a bandit while inside Lincoln’s Twin River Casino. The robber followed the victim out to his car, which was left in a casino parking lot.

He was robbed at knifepoint while getting into the vehicle, according to police. A suspect was arrested a short time later. He was identified as Anthony McClain, 30.

The victim’s money, cell phone, and glasses were stolen during the holdup, police said.

Police in this instance also used surveillance video to track and identify the suspect. It was not immediately known how the court case against McClain turned out.