Mexican National Accused in Washington State Tribal Casino Heists
Posted on: November 17, 2025, 03:04h.
Last updated on: November 17, 2025, 03:04h.
- Federal charges detail armed casino robberies across Washington state.
- Surveillance, cell data, and texts allegedly link Barragan to crimes.
- FBI leads probe with multiple tribal and local agencies assisting.
Federal authorities have charged a 32-year-old man with carrying out a string of robberies at tribal casinos and a bank in Washington state.
Edgar Gonzalez Barragan, a Mexican national, was arrested by police shortly after he allegedly robbed a U.S. Bank branch in Shoreline, Wash., on August 11 2025, although federal charges have only just been filed. At the time, the feds were already looking for him in connection with the casino robberies, according to court filings.
‘I’ll Shoot the Guests’
On August 1, 2025, at approximately 7:20 p.m., a man fitting Gonzalez Barragan’s description walked into the Quil Ceda Creek Casino on the Tulalip Indian Reservation, approached the cashier’s cage, and brandished a silver handgun.
The man is alleged to have told the cashier that he would “shoot the guests” if money were not handed over. However, when the cashier refused to comply and pushed the panic button, the would-be robber left in a hurry.
Two days later, the same man struck again, this time at the Silver Reef Casino located on the Lummi Nation Indian Reservation. He approached the cage and flashed a similar silver handgun.
This time, the cashier handed over approximately $18K in cash to the man, who fled the casino on foot. The cashier noticed he had been wearing a plastic glove on his right hand.
On August 9, 2025, at approximately 11:24 a.m., the individual attempted to rob the Little Creek Casino on Squaxin Tribal land in Shelton, Washington. As before, he waved a silver gun which he held in a plastic-gloved hand and demanded money, but he fled when he was told there was no cash in the till.
Fire-Engine Theft
Later the same day, Riverside Fire Authority reported that a hydraulic rescue tool worth $12K had been stolen from one of their fire engines. These tools can be used by criminals to break open ATMs.
A witness to the theft described a man who fitted Gonzalez Barragan’s description getting into a green two-door sedan. Surveillance footage obtained from nearby businesses showed a man with the tool whose clothes matched those of the suspect in the attempted Little Creek robbery.
Agents later traced the vehicle and found that it was a Toyota Solara registered to Gonzalez Barragan’s mother and that it had been observed in the area of the Quil Ceda Casino and the Little Creek Casino around the time of the attempted robberies.
Meanwhile, the suspect hit the U.S. Bank, threatening a teller with his handgun, who handed over $1,500.
“Sorry about that,” he told the teller, as he left with the money.
He was stopped by local police several hours later driving the green Toyota.
FBI Raid
Federal agents executed a search warrant at Gonzalez Barragan’s home, which uncovered the clothes they say were worn by the perpetrator of the attempted Little Creek robbery. Meanwhile, location data on Gonzalez Barragan’s three phones placed him in the vicinity of each robbery and attempted robbery when they occurred.
They also uncovered allegedly incriminating text messages, including one he sent to his girlfriend, Jennifer Munoz, on August 7, 2025.
“I’m really close to making us a whole bunch of money,” Gonzalez Barragan wrote. “I got u Jenn, stop worrying about our money situation. We’re gonna get Roscoe’s surgeries and we’re gonna get married as well.”
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