A Connecticut man is heading to prison for four years after he allegedly punched, knocked down, and robbed a 62-year-old player at Lincoln, R.I.’s Twin River Casino.
The case dates back to 2019, when Isaiah Snell, 27, of Putnam, scoped out the victim on the gaming floor, police said. The man was counting a large amount of cash.
Then, Snell followed him to the parking lot. Snell allegedly threatened that he was carrying a gun, police said. But Snell never displayed a firearm.
The victim tried to run away, but Snell assaulted him, police added. The victim eventually handed over $1,500. Then, Snell fled from the gaming property lot. Lincoln police were able to track Snell’s movements by viewing surveillance video.
Under a plea deal, Snell will spend four years at Rhode Island state prison. In total, Snell was sentenced by Superior Court Justice Maureen B. Keough to eight years. But half of the sentence was suspended with probation.
Snell must also pay $1,500 to the victim. Under the plea deal, he also will undergo substance abuse counseling and cannot have contact with the victim.
He pleaded no contest to two charges last week in Providence Superior Court. They are first-degree robbery of a person over 60 and assault on a person over 60 causing bodily injury.
Rhode Islanders Should Be Safe
“Every Rhode Islander should feel safe in all aspects of their lives, whether it be in their homes or as a patron of local businesses,” Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha said in a statement released after the sentencing.
Under state law, the penalties for assaulting a person 60 and over are increased to protect older Rhode Islanders from those who target this part of our community, and the significant sentence here reflects this.”
Senior Robbed Earlier at Knifepoint
In a similar crime during 2020, a 69-year-old casino player was tailed by a bandit while inside Lincoln’s Twin River Casino. The robber followed the victim out to his car, which was left in a casino parking lot.
He was robbed at knifepoint while getting into the vehicle, according to police. A suspect was arrested a short time later. He was identified as Anthony McClain, 30.
The victim’s money, cell phone, and glasses were stolen during the holdup, police said.
Police in this instance also used surveillance video to track and identify the suspect. It was not immediately known how the court case against McClain turned out.
Also, in 2020, a three-year-old autistic boy was left in an locked, unheated car for a half hour while his father went into Lincoln’s Twin River gaming venue to place sports bets, state police said. The temperature was in the mid-30s on the windy winter’s day.
The father, later identified by state police as Mitchell Cuevas, 38, of Providence, was arrested for cruelty to or neglect of a child, and obstructing an officer in execution of duty. It was unclear how the case was adjudicated. The child apparently was not injured.
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