Published on: November 17, 2025, 03:04h.
Updated on: November 17, 2025, 03:04h.
- Federal indictment outlines a series of armed casino heists throughout Washington state.
- Surveillance footage, mobile data, and text messages allegedly connect Barragan to the incidents.
- The FBI spearheads the investigation with the support of various tribal and local law enforcement agencies.
Federal law enforcement has charged a 32-year-old individual for executing a series of robberies targeting tribal casinos and a bank in Washington state.
Edgar Gonzalez Barragan, a Mexican national, was taken into custody immediately after allegedly robbing a U.S. Bank branch in Shoreline, Washington, on August 11, 2025. Federal charges were filed recently as authorities were already pursuing him regarding the casino thefts, according to court documents.
‘I Will Shoot the Customers’
On August 1, 2025, at around 7:20 p.m., a man resembling Gonzalez Barragan entered the Quil Ceda Creek Casino on the Tulalip Indian Reservation. He approached the cashier’s area and brandished a silver handgun.
Witnesses allege that the suspect threatened the cashier, claiming he would “shoot the customers” if cash was not handed over. However, after the cashier activated the panic button, the would-be robber quickly fled.
Two days later, the same suspect targeted the Silver Reef Casino on the Lummi Nation Indian Reservation, once again displaying a similar silver handgun.
This time, the cashier surrendered approximately $18,000 in cash, which the suspect then took before fleeing the scene on foot, notably wearing a plastic glove on his right hand.
On August 9, 2025, around 11:24 a.m., the individual attempted to rob the Little Creek Casino located on Squaxin Tribal territory in Shelton, Washington. He again brandished a silver firearm, which he held in a gloved hand, but fled empty-handed when informed that the cash register was out of funds.
Theft of Fire Equipment
Later that same day, Riverside Fire Authority reported the theft of a $12,000 hydraulic rescue tool from one of their fire trucks. Such tools can be used by felons to force open ATMs.
A witness described a man fitting Gonzalez Barragan’s description entering a green two-door sedan. Surveillance footage from nearby establishments captured a person matching the assailant’s clothing who was seen with the stolen equipment.
Investigators traced the vehicle to a Toyota Solara registered to Gonzalez Barragan’s mother, noting it was in the vicinity of both the Quil Ceda and Little Creek casinos during the times of the attempted thefts.
Meanwhile, the suspect successfully robbed the U.S. Bank, where he threatened a teller with his firearm before escaping with $1,500.
“Sorry about that,” he reportedly told the teller as he departed with the cash.
He was later apprehended by local authorities while driving the green Toyota.
FBI Investigation
Federal agents executed a search at Gonzalez Barragan’s residence, discovering the clothes they allege were worn during the attempted robbery at Little Creek Casino. Tracking data from his three mobile devices placed him near all robbery locations at the relevant times.
The search also revealed allegedly incriminating text messages, including one sent to his girlfriend, Jennifer Munoz, on August 7, 2025.
In the text, he stated, “I’m really close to making us a whole bunch of money. I got you, Jenn, stop worrying about our financial situation. We’ll ensure Roscoe gets his surgeries, and we are getting married too.”