Published on: December 17, 2024, 08:20h. 

Last updated on: December 17, 2024, 08:20h.

A man was incarcerated after reportedly committing a robbery at the Stars Casino in Tracy, California on Friday. The suspect was located by police using a drone.

Joseph Just, a 34-year-old from Antioch, California, was charged with robbery and taken into custody at the San Joaquin County Jail.

His case was handed over to local prosecutors and if found guilty, he could face imprisonment.

The theft occurred around 5:45 a.m. on Friday when a staff member at the cardroom alerted the authorities about the robbery at the gaming establishment.

The suspect was described as an individual dressed in black attire.

He brandished a replica gun, as reported by the Contra Costa News, a local news source. He demanded cash from an employee, received the money, and then fled the scene.

Law enforcement promptly responded and utilized a drone to track down the suspect, spotting him in a nearby location.

Thermal imaging was then used by the officers to pinpoint the suspect’s hiding spot. Eventually, he was captured while concealing himself in a drainage ditch.

Initially hesitant to surrender, the suspect, Just, eventually complied with the police’s requests.

Authorities discovered the replica firearm believed to be used in the theft and the stolen cash in close proximity to the apprehended suspect.

The exact amount of money taken from the cardroom was not disclosed by the police, and no injuries were reported during the incident.

Former Casino Employee Admits to Stealing

A former casino cage manager at the now Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino confessed in court to stealing nearly $10,000 from the gaming establishment, according to recent reports.

The Tahoe Daily Tribune detailed Alberto Jesus Caballero’s admission to stealing $9,967 from the casino on May 9, 2021.

Under an agreement, Caballero will make monthly payments of $300 towards restitution, and will forfeit $1,500 in bail money. If the full amount is repaid, he may retract his guilty plea to a felony charge and instead be charged with a lesser misdemeanor offense. Failure to make payments could result in a prison sentence ranging from 16 to 60 months, per the Tribune.

Caballero was apprehended for the theft after being pulled over for a traffic violation in Texas. A background check revealed the pending charge related to the casino theft.

He posted a $5,000 bond and returned to Nevada to appear in court.

The former Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe is now operating as the Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino.