Alleged casino robber has arraignment scheduled for Tuesday
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A man accused in the armed robbery of the Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville last week will appear in court on Tuesday.
Benjamin Michael-Dass Charles, 21, of Columbia, is charged with first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and tampering with evidence. He is being held at the Cooper County Jail on a $1.3 million bond. His arraignment is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Cooper County Courthouse.
Hollis Vanleer Jr. 20, of Normal, Illinois, is still at-large. He was charged with first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and first-degree assault. The Missouri State Highway Patrol wrote in a Friday press release that Vanleer “should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone who encounters Vanleer should immediately call 911 and not approach him.”
Court documents claim Charles and Vanleer took $1.28 million from the casino on Wednesday, March 25. A patron allegedly tackled one of the masked men, but the pair got away after one of the men hit the patron, court documents in previous reporting say.
The pair drove a 1998 Ford Taurus to Howard County and abandoned it before getting into a second vehicle, previous reporting indicates. Charles was identified from information found on a receipt in the Ford, court documents say.
The Missouri Gaming Commission on Thursday, March 26, identified Charles as a casino employee while he was on duty, court documents say. The money taken from the robbery has still not been located.
Charles allegedly told officials that the robbery had been planned for a month and that he bought homemade explosives from someone to use as a distraction, court documents say.