Robbery of Washington State Casino Winner Leads to Couple’s Arrest

Posted on: September 13, 2024, 09:02h. 

Last updated on: September 13, 2024, 09:10h.

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

A man and woman were apprehended recently for last month’s holdup scheme of an unsuspecting winner at the Muckleshoot Casino Resort.

Muckleshoot Casino Resort
Muckleshoot Casino Resort, pictured above. A casino winner was robbed by a man and woman in the property’s parking garage. The two were arrested. (Image: Booking.com)

The would-be victim won $1K at the Auburn, Wash. gaming property on August 30. He took the payout in cash and stuffed the money into his wallet.

At about 3:16 a.m., he was walking back to his vehicle that was left in a parking garage. when he was approached by a woman who started to flirt with him.

Suddenly, a man appeared and pulled out a tire iron, ordering the victim to hand over his wallet, according to the Auburn Reporter.

Responding quickly, the victim was able to reach a hammer that was inside his nearby truck.

As the confrontation escalated, the male suspect dropped the tire iron and pulled out a knife. The victim, sensing danger, turned over his wallet.

The two suspects quickly fled in a car. The victim wasn’t injured.

Police were able to identify the suspects because they had presented IDs that were scanned by casino staff at the casino entrance. A surveillance camera in the garage also got a picture of the license plate on the couple’s getaway car.

The couple had tailed the man on the gaming floor after he won the money and the woman’s flirting appeared to be part of the robbery scheme.

Earlier this month, officers charged the suspects, Tahiri C. Ponce, 31, of Winlock, Wash., and Arturo Alejandro Perez-Nava, 32, of Elma, Wash., with first-degree robbery.

They were arrested at Tacoma, Washington’s Emerald Queen Casino on September 6. It wasn’t clear if they were planning a similar scheme at that casino.

Both remained in custody as of earlier this week. Bail for Ponce was set at $25K. Perez-Nava’s bail was set at $250K. Ponce has confessed to her role in the Muckleshoot casino robbery, police said.

The casino is located about 30 miles south of Seattle.

Prior Charges

A records check by local police revealed that Ponce recently was convicted of burglary and theft, and is facing a pending assault case. Perez-Nava has a pending burglary and theft case, a report from Washington TV station KIRO added.

Those convictions and potential convictions could lead to more time in prison for both of the defendants.