A Missouri judge has modified the bond conditions for one of two men accused in a late March robbery at the Isle of Capri casino in Boonville, offering the defendant two bond options that could allow his release before trial.
Benjamin Charles, 21, of Columbia, Missouri, can now post either a $1 million cash or surety bond or a $250,000 cash bond, according to a Cooper County judge’s ruling on Monday. His original bond had been set at $1.3 million.
Charles is charged with first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and tampering with evidence in connection with the alleged casino heist. He remains held in the Cooper County Jail. A trial setting is scheduled for September 28.
Details of the alleged robbery
Charles is one of two men accused in what authorities say was a brazen daytime robbery at the Isle of Capri casino in late March. Court documents indicate the pair allegedly entered the casino carrying firearms and took approximately $1.28 million from the main money drawer.
According to court filings from earlier in the case, a casino patron tackled one of the alleged robbers during the incident. The second suspect, identified as Hollis Vanleer Jr., reportedly struck the patron before both men fled the scene in a Ford Taurus.
Law enforcement later located the vehicle abandoned in Howard County, Missouri. Investigators reportedly found a receipt inside the car that led them to Charles through a payment card linked to the purchase. Authorities also determined that Charles had been an employee at the casino, a detail that appears significant to the investigation.
Status of the second suspect
Vanleer, 20, of Bloomington, Illinois, was arrested in his hometown last month, roughly three months after the alleged robbery. He faces charges of first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and first-degree assault in Missouri.
The assault charge appears to stem from the reported attack on the casino patron who attempted to stop the suspects. Vanleer is also facing separate charges in Illinois, though details of that case were not provided.
What happens next
Charles now has the option to secure his release by posting one of the two bond amounts set by the court. The surety bond option allows a defendant to use a bail bondsman, typically paying a percentage of the total bond amount, while a cash bond requires the full amount to be paid directly to the court.
The September 28 hearing will set a trial date for the case. Both men face serious felony charges that carry substantial prison sentences if convicted. First-degree robbery in Missouri is classified as a Class A felony, the state’s most severe category of crime.
The FBI had previously offered a $5,000 reward for information related to the case during the investigation, underscoring the federal interest in the matter given the scale of the alleged theft.
The Isle of Capri casino, located along the Missouri River in Boonville, is a riverboat gaming facility operated as part of a regional casino chain. The venue features slot machines, table games and dining options, serving patrons from mid-Missouri and surrounding areas.
Based on reporting by ABC17News.com.
This article reports on allegations and legal proceedings as described by the cited source. Any charges or accusations mentioned are unproven, and all individuals are presumed innocent unless and until found guilty in a court of law.