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

September 13, 2024

Recently, a man and a woman were taken into custody in connection with the holdup of an unwary winner at the Muckleshoot Casino Resort last month.

On August 30, the potential victim won $1,000 at the gaming establishment in Auburn, Washington. After receiving the reward in cash, he stuffed it inside his wallet.

He was returning on foot to his car, which had been left in a parking garage, at roughly 3:16 a.m. when a woman approached him and made eye contact with him.

The victim was told to turn over his wallet by a man who materialized out of nowhere and brandished a tire iron, according to the Auburn Reporter.

The victim reacted fast enough to go to a hammer inside his adjacent truck.

With the altercation intensifying, the male suspect put down the tire iron and produced a knife. Sensing danger, the victim flipped over his wallet.

In a sedan, the two suspects made a speedy getaway. The victim sustained no wounds.

Because the suspects had produced IDs that the casino employees had scanned at the door, police were able to identify them. The license plate on the couple's getaway vehicle was captured on camera by a security system installed in the garage.

After he won the money, the couple had followed him around the casino floor, and it looked like the woman was flirting as part of the heist plan.

Officers accused Tahiri C. Ponce, 31, of Winlock, Wash., and Arturo Alejandro Perez-Nava, 32, of Elma, Wash., of first-degree robbery earlier this month.

On September 6, they were taken into custody at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington. It was unclear if they intended to implement a similar concept at that particular casino.

At the beginning of this week, both were still in detention. Ponce's bail was set at $25,000. A $250K bail was set for Perez-Nava. According to authorities, Ponce has admitted her involvement in the casino heist at Muckleshoot.

About 30 miles south of Seattle is where you'll find the casino.

Previous Offenses

Local police conducted a records check and found that Ponce is currently the subject of an assault case in addition to a recent burglary and theft conviction. An ongoing burglary and larceny case against Perez-Nava was also mentioned in a report by Washington TV station KIRO.

Both defendants may serve additional years in jail as a result of those convictions and any future crimes.