TurnTo23.com

 
Bakersfield News
E-Mail News Alerts
Get breaking news and daily headlines.
Browse all e-mail newsletters
Related To Story
Golden West Casino, Robbery
L.A. Gang Members Caught Before Robbing Casino For Second Time


Deputies Prevent L.A. Gang Members From Robbing Casino

5 Arrested, 2 In Connection With 2007 Robbery At Same Casino

POSTED: 8:45 am PDT March 31, 2008
UPDATED: 8:21 am PDT April 1, 2008

Kern County sheriff's deputies have arrested five people, two in connection with the robbery of Golden West Casino last September.

At least two of the men were arrested in connection with a 2007 robbery of Golden West Casino where robbers carried AK-47 assault weapons and handguns.

Deputies said they got word Sunday that gang members from Los Angeles were going to rob the casino again.

Overnight, members of the Kern County Sheriff's Department Gang Suppression Unit, SWAT, Narcotics and Special Operations Unit and with help from the California Highway Patrol used a spike strip to stop two cars, one of which was a stolen vehicle, along Highway 58 near Towerline Road.

They said they arrested five men from the Los Angeles area: Lynell Travon Lewis, 31, Michael Paul Johnson, John Fitzgerald Williams, 19, Jajuan Robert Bell, 29, and Dion Lavell Joseph, 24. Williams and Bell were charged with the 2007 robbery of Golden West Casino.

Officials said they found an AK-47, two sawed-off shotguns and a semi-automatic handgun in one of the vehicles.

Officials also said they believe lives were prevented from being lost in what would have been the second robbery on the same casino.

Read another ABC23 article: Woman, 39, Appears On '39-And-Over' Book Cover: Books, TV, Film Spark 40-Something Trends In Pop Culture

Links We Like

Sponsored Content
Is your bathroom in serious need of an update? We’ve got the tips and tricks to help you turn it into a major selling point in your home. More

There is no absolute number of drinks per day that defines alcoholism. Learn the behavior and body reactions that constitute alcoholism. More

Find out what a sputtering economy and an increasingly difficult to crack job market means to you. More

The signs of Cancer can sometimes be very subtle. Here's a guide to help you recognize them early. More

Health Topics & Information

While it’s the government’s responsibility to ensure that food sold in the U.S. is safe, a few simple precautions can help you protect yourself and your family from foodborne disease. More