Boonville Casino Robbery Suspect Charged as Second Man Remains Sought
BOONVILLE, Mo. – Missouri investigators have arrested a suspect in the Boonville casino robbery after more than $1.27 million was stolen from the Isle of Capri Casino.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The case raises fresh security questions for operators and staff as authorities continue searching for a second suspect they say should be considered armed and dangerous.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said Benjamin Michael-Dass Charles, 21, of Columbia, Missouri, was arrested as part of the investigation into the March 25 robbery at the Boonville casino. Investigators said Charles was an employee of the Isle of Capri Casino and was contacted while working at the property before being interviewed and taken into custody.
According to the patrol, two suspects entered the casino at about 2:15 p.m. dressed in black and wearing masks, hats, and sunglasses. One carried a rifle and the other a handgun. Authorities said the pair went straight to the bank area inside the property and stole about $1,276,000 before trying to flee.
During the escape, a casino patron tackled the suspect carrying the rifle, and a fight followed on the casino floor. Investigators said the second suspect then struck the patron several times, allowing both men to get off the property.
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Employee Charged as Second Suspect Remains at Large
The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control said Charles was arrested on March 26 and later formally charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree assault, armed criminal action, and tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution. He is being held at the Cooper County Jail on a $1.3 million bond.
Authorities have also identified the second suspect as Hollis C. Vanleer Jr., 20, of Normal, Illinois. Police said his location is unknown and warned that he should not be approached. Anyone who sees him is being told to call 911 immediately.
The isle of capri Boonville robbery has drawn a wide law enforcement response. The Boonville Police Department, Cooper County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, and ATF are all assisting the Missouri State Highway Patrol as the investigation continues.
Casino Security and What Happens Next
The scale of the theft and the allegation that a casino employee was involved make this more than a routine robbery case. For operators, the investigation puts attention on internal controls, restricted-access procedures, and how quickly suspicious activity involving staff can be detected before a crime unfolds.
The Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville is a known regional gaming property, and incidents of this size tend to draw scrutiny well beyond the local market because they touch both public safety and operational trust. That matters even more when the case includes a violent confrontation on the casino floor and a missing suspect still believed to be armed.
What happens next will center on the search for Vanleer and the court process now facing Charles. Investigators are also expected to keep reviewing evidence, witness statements, and any internal links that could show how the robbery was planned and carried out.
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