EVERETT — A 32-year-old man has been charged with robbery and attempted robbery of three tribal casinos and a Shoreline bank branch. The Mexican national, residing in Federal Way, was detained Thursday at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac, according to a United States Department of Justice press release.
The string of incidents allegedly began when he attempted to rob a Snohomish County casino on Aug. 1. Kent police initially arrested Edgar Oswaldo Gonzalez Barragan hours after he allegedly robbed the Shoreline branch of U.S. Bank.
The evening of Aug. 1, Gonzalez Barragan allegedly approached the cashier window at the Quil Ceda Creek Casino in Tulalip with a silver handgun and demanded money from the till, the release said. When the cashier pressed the panic button and refused to give him money despite alleged threats to shoot guests, Gonzalez Barragan fled the scene.
Two days later, a man, later identified as the suspect, allegedly robbed the Silver Reef Casino Resort on the Lummi Nation Indian Reservation. He allegedly used a silver handgun and demanded money from the cashier, who gave him approximately $18,000 in cash before he fled on foot, court documents said.
On Aug. 9, Gonzalez Barragan allegedly attempted to rob the Little Creek Casino Resort on Squaxin Island Tribal land by taking a gun from his pocket and demanding cash, the release said. When the teller told him there was no cash in the till, he fled the scene.
Later that day, the Riverside Fire Authority in Centralia reported that someone had stolen the Jaws of Life, a $12,000 hydraulic rescue tool, off their fire truck, the release said. Investigators connected a vehicle depicted in surveillance footage to Gonzalez Barragan’s mother, court documents said.
On Aug. 11, Gonzalez Barragan entered the Shoreline branch of U.S. Bank and demanded money. The teller, who was fearful he had a gun after hearing what sounded like a large object hit the counter, handed him $1,500 from the till, court documents said. Gonzalez Barragan allegedly said, “Sorry about that,” before taking the money and leaving the bank.
Later that day, officers arrested Gonzalez Barragan, who was in the same clothing he wore in the bank robbery, the release said.
Investigators placed Gonzalez Barragan in the vicinity of the incidents through cell phone location data and other evidence, the release said.
The case is under investigation by the FBI with assistance from various law enforcement agencies, including the Kent Police Department, the Ferndale Police Department, the Federal Way Police Department, the Marysville Police Department, the Centralia Police Department, the King County Sheriff’s Office, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, the Lummi Nation Police Department, the Tulalip Police Department, the Squaxin Island Police Department, and the Department of Homeland Security.
Assistant United States Attorney Celia Lee, who serves as a tribal liaison for the Western District of Washington U.S. Attorney’s Office, is prosecuting the case.
Jenna Millikan: 425-339-3035; jenna.millikan@heraldnet.com; X: @JennaMillikan
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