Washington Casino Robbery Suspect Captured after Cross-County Crime Spree

Federal agents collaborating with local police have brought an end to a two-week spree of casino and bank robberies after apprehending a 32-year-old man from Federal Way who is now implicated in a series of hold-ups that stretched from Tulalip all the way to Shoreline. E.G.B., a Mexican national, is currently being detained at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac, Washington, following charges filed in federal court last week.

The Suspect Remained on the Move

Court documents in the Western District of Washington indicate that investigators believe that the suspect attempted or carried out robberies at three casinos and a Shoreline bank in early August. Although Kent Police first arrested him on August 11, prosecutors did not submit probable cause paperwork until November 6, detailing how he allegedly moved from one target to the next.

The first incident in the case occurred on August 1 at Quil Ceda Creek Casino in Tulalip, where, according to witnesses, a man approached the cashier’s cage, displayed a firearm, and threatened to shoot if money wasn’t handed over. The cashier did not comply, pressing the panic button instead, and causing the would-be robber to flee before security could apprehend him.

The next day, a figure matching his description entered the Silver Reef Casino located on the Lummi Reservation near Ferndale. This time, the encounter went differently. Court filings claim that a cashier was forced at gunpoint to hand over roughly $18,000 in cash. The robbery was caught on camera, showing the culprit leaving quickly through a side exit and driving away in a dark-colored vehicle that investigators would later identify as belonging to E.G.B. 

The third case took place on August 9 at Little Creek Casino in Shelton.  Again, a gun was displayed and money demanded. However, the cashier told the robber there was nothing to take. The robber retreated and exited the place on foot. Later that day, a Riverside Fire Authority truck was hit for a set of hydraulic rescue tools, worth around $12,000, an unusual theft that would ultimately help tie events together.

A Guilty Sentence Could Mean Years in Prison

Once in custody, E.G.B. claimed he had taken an unknown drug and was rushed to the local hospital. Medical staff observed that he had used makeup to hide tattoos on his arm and neck. A search of his vehicle turned up a handgun, clothing linked to the Shelton incident, concealer, and a phone that agents say placed him near each robbery at the relevant times.

Additional data recovered during the investigation reportedly uncovered messages about money, drugs, and weapons. E.G.B.now faces charges of two counts of attempted robbery and two counts of robbery. A motion for continued detention was filed on November 7, and he is expected to remain in federal custody while the case proceeds.