California Mother-Son Duo Allegedly Robbed Over $4K from Elderly Casino Player

Posted on: October 4, 2020, 06:44h. 

Last updated on: October 5, 2020, 11:54h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

The Gold Country Casino robbery of an elderly woman led to the arrest last week of a mother and son in California. The mother allegedly was the getaway driver after the son violently stole the money, police claim.

Mother-Son Casino Robbery
Regina Brito, 49, and Daniel Braziel, 30, of Marysville, California, were both arrested last week in connection with a Gold Country Casino robbery. (Image: Butte County Sheriff’s Office via KOVR TV)

The victim won more than $4,500 at the Oroville gaming property last Tuesday. She put the money in her wallet and sat down by a slot machine, KOVR, a local TV station reported.

Soon, a man later identified as Daniel Braziel, 30, of Marysville, went up to the woman. He allegedly pushed her to the floor and forcibly stole the money and other unspecified property from her, the local sheriff’s office and news reports said.

Mother Alleged Getaway Driver

Braziel then ran to a nearby parking lot and got into a car being driven by his mother, Regina Brito, 49, of Marysville, police claim. The pair fled from the area.

A short time later, deputies and detectives reviewed casino surveillance video. It showed some of the robbery, police said.

On Wednesday, detectives got warrants to arrest Braziel and Brito. Detectives also got a search warrant for a residence located in Olivehurst. Authorities later searched the car Brito drove after the robbery. Brito was arrested at an apartment in Linda. They also found some of the victim’s property that was taken during the robbery.

Later that same day, Braziel was also arrested. The mother and son were both charged with robbery and elder abuse, police said. The pair were to have been arraigned at the Butte County Superior Court on Friday. They were held before the arraignment in the Butte County Jail.

Elderly Women Targeted in Las Vegas

Last month, Las Vegas police were searching for a suspect who was targeting elderly women in parking lots or parking garages of casinos. He is suspected in at least two robberies, police said. He is not believed to be connected with the California robbery.

KVVU, a Las Vegas TV station, reported that Las Vegas police had noticed a man, between 20 and 30 years old, was robbing the female victims in lots and garages.

He typically drove into the lot or garage at Las Vegas gaming properties. He would then go up to the elderly woman. He pushed them to the pavement and stole their purse. Following the robbery, the bandit attempted to use their credit or debit card, police said.

The robber in one incident was dressed in a black jacket and wore a black baseball cap. He also had on a black face mask. At one point, he was driving a dark pickup truck with a white sticker in the rear window. It had a Nevada license plate: 174G05, the news report said.

The pickup truck had been stolen from the owner, the report adds.