Pechanga Casino Guest Files $10M Claim for Alleged Sexual Assault by Worker
Posted on: September 26, 2020, 05:55h.
Last updated on: September 27, 2020, 11:22h.
California’s Pechanga Resort Casino is facing a $10 million claim from a woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted in March by a male hotel employee while she was in her room.
The victim, identified as “Michele,”was physically injured during the March 14 attack and yelled at the employee to stop, according to a claim released to Casino.org by the woman’s attorney, high-profile lawyer Gloria Allred.
The incident began when the woman was attempting to reenter her fourth-floor room, and the key card malfunctioned. Michele called for help.
Eventually, with assistance from an employee and a supervisor, the door was opened. But while standing outside with Michele, the employee repeatedly had her confirm she was staying alone.
Michele entered her room. She was preparing to go to bed, and was only partially clothed.
She heard a knock at the door. She opened the door.
The employee had returned to her room. He was alone.
She asked what he wanted. The employee then “repeatedly pressured” her to let him into her room, the claim said. He asked “multiple times if she needed anything.”
He finally entered the room. The employee then “needlessly removed a champagne bottle from the … minibar,” the claim said. He poured her a glass of champagne.
Earlier that night, she had been drinking alcohol on the gaming floor and appeared intoxicated before reentering the room, the claim said.
The employee then allegedly sexually assaulted her. He bit and physically injured Michele during the attack, the claim says.
Michele yelled for the employee to get off of her. But she claimed the employee continued to sexually assault Michele.
Eventually, the employee left her room. Michele promptly called the hotel’s front desk to report the incident.
Sheriff’s deputies and casino security were notified and arrived at the room. Michele was transported to Temecula Valley Hospital, where she was examined with a rape kit. A nurse confirmed injuries to Michele’s body.
Intoxicated Victim Cannot Give Consent
So far, the District Attorney in Riverside County has not prosecuted the employee. The guest’s inebriated condition could be key in any criminal charges.
“Due to her known intoxication, Michele was incapable of giving legal consent to the employee for any sexual contact,” Allred said. Michele was repeatedly described in statements as being intoxicated or “wasted.”
“Michele has been willing to come forward … not only because of what she has suffered, but because we have reason to believe that there are many rape cases in California with similar facts that are not being prosecuted. In other words, women who become intoxicated often become victims of sexual violence while they are under the influence,” Allred said.
During a Thursday press conference, Michele sobbed. “I have … gone through the worst time of my life…. After the sexual assault, I was a wreck dealing with feelings of anger, sadness, depression, shame, and disbelief,” she told reporters.
The person who raped me was an employee at Pechanga, and because he was an employee, I put my trust in him, believing that he would act in my best interest to help me. Well, the only thing he helped me with was ruining my life,” she added.
She says she was “victimized again by the D.A.’s office when I was told they weren’t going to prosecute.”
The name and title of the employee were not identified in the claim. It is unclear if he is still working at the hotel.
Casino.org reached out to Pechanga Resort Casino for comment. They did not provide a statement as of the time of publication.
The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office said the case was still under review, KCAL TV, a local station, reported.
Providing a claim is an initial step before filing a formal lawsuit in court.
Other Casinos Scenes of Alleged Sexual Assaults by Employees
Similar allegations against other casinos have been made by female guests. In July 2019, a maintenance worker at Las Vegas’ Circus Circus Hotel was arrested after an intoxicated guest accused him of sexually assaulting her in her hotel room, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Earlier, in 2014, a security worker at Las Vegas’ Aria Resort and Casino used a master key to enter a woman’s room. She was asleep, and he allegedly sexually assaulted her, according to Courthouse News Service.
Last November, Las Vegas police arrested a one-time Four Queens security guard for several sexual assault charges connected to the property.
The disposition of these cases could not be determined immediately on Friday.
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Last Comment ( 1 )
I was at the same place and was approached by their police they asked for an id I said I dont have it on my person that I had rode in on a motorcycle. My boyfriend had left due to a disagreement he and I had and he had it in his pocket yet I did not Express this to them they never even gave me a chance or option to retrieve my Id I did have the time to Express to then that I have a player's club card they can validate my age there he said he was informed by his supervisor he was unable to do such via USPS orders he stated I needed to leave that instance demanding and yelling at me I felt as if I was in danger the he pointed towards what looked like a field and demanded that I leave at that instance. I didnt feel safe or comfortable going in a direction I was not familiar with I had said no I'm going back in to spend some more of my money on food and then ide be leaveing I was giving my dog a potty break outside about an hour earlier he had hurt himself bad and wasn't walking so I sat with the security at the front door prior to this taking place. I then started to walk towards the entry door and that's when one of their cops grabbed my left arm and real tightly yank me towards the direction they were forcing me to go, mind you my dog is in my arms and hurt he 3.8 pounds and that's when I expressed to him that he had no legal right to put his hands on my person all of a sudden all of the cops were on me one was trying to put my arms behind my back as I'm screaming stop ur going to make me drop my dog he's already hurt I was going through this all over an Id ,really I too felt as if they were trying to do something to me . They hurt my neck my back didnt start to hurt until about one week later and I had bruises all over my body . I'm a 43 yr old woman my children are raised 4 kids I'm sure I look over 21 or 18 I was outside and wasn't buying alcohol and or gambelingor had even won a jackpot but they demanded for an Id why??? I'm still going through crap from there end due to a trespassing warrant I now have when I've not been there but the very next day as we had to pick my dog up yet my boyfriend went in and they knew we were coming and at that time they couldn't release my purse so they said ide have to make a appointments to retrieve it but I needed an Id how funny right so I waited a few days give or take as I rested up and then called down there I followed all their rules it felt as if it took over 45 min for them to even attend to why I was there then they explained I have to be escorted out so I signed only the release of my purse showed my Id and said my boyfriend will grab my purse I walked away before going via ambulance to the Erie due to my neck being hurt during this attack a man stood there saying he wanted me to sing this paper saying I agree not to ever come back I told him that I wouldn't do that due to the fact that at such point if I did then I know that that's me admitting that I'm guilty in witch I am not .I've been going there for a very long time matter of fact it was just a tent I've rented a room there the breakfast in bed deal i have won a nice lump sum when they first open that was were my mother and i would go often but now I'm a bad person because i was in leather and due to riding in on a motorcycle i had my boyfriend put my Id in his wallet this isn't the kind of treatment I want win I just lost 700 to 800 $$ and was going to go back in to eat. Wow looking up on the internet I had found out that someone had posted they too had problems with the cops there matter of fact they said their mother is asking for Id and if u didnt have one then they would ruff u up funny that's just what they had done but I too feel that if I went in the direction they demanded I to could of been rape I 100% have this women feeling and 100% believe her without question. Though I wasn't raped I sure feel as if I was and my dog was hurt even worse. It was a very sad day but then to find out now they have issued a warrant on me and I've not been back there now they are luring and something has to be done ..