A federal grand jury in Jefferson City has indicted two suspects for March’s daring $1.3 million armed robbery of Boonville’s Isle of Capri casino. The daytime robbery included two heavily-armed suspects and explosive devices going off.
A federal grand jury has indicted 21-year-old Benjamin Michael-Dass Charles of Columbia, who worked at Isle of Capri, and 20-year-old Hollis Vanleer of Illinois on numerous charges. Vanleer is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Charles was arrested the day after the robbery when he returned to work at the casino.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s probable cause statement says the two masked suspects ran to the cashier cage at the casino, jumped over the counter and entered the main bank area. As they were trying to escape, a casino patron tackled Charles, who was allegedly carrying an AR-15 rifle. That caused the suspect’s headgear and sunglasses to be knocked off. The court documents also say a receipt was found in the getaway vehicle and that the receipt was allegedly linked to Charles.
The FBI, ATF, the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC), Boonville Police and Cooper County Sheriff’s office have been involved in the investigation.