Treasure Island Casino Winner Beaten, $38K Stolen, Attacker Sentenced
Posted on: June 4, 2025, 06:15h.
Last updated on: June 5, 2025, 09:55h.
- Victim attacked outside home after winning at casino
- Assailants stole $38K in early morning ambush
- Judge rejects leniency plea despite addiction defense
A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison for his role in a violent robbery that left a 68-year-old beaten and bloodied outside his home after a winning night at the nearby Treasure Island Casino.
Shawn Eric Lewis Jr., 37, was sentenced Tuesday in Washington County District Court to 58 months behind bars after pleading guilty in January to aiding and abetting first-degree aggravated robbery.
The plea agreement resulted in the dismissal of two other charges. It followed the vicious attack that occurred early on the morning of Dec. 10, 2023.
$38K in Winnings
The incident took place shortly after the victim returned home from the tribal casino in Welch, Minn., 50 minutes’ drive southeast of Minneapolis.
According to court documents, a red pickup truck pulled up as the victim arrived home. Two men exited the vehicle and launched a brutal assault, punching and kicking the victim while demanding cash. The attackers fled with more than $38K in casino winnings.
The victim has specifically asked to remain anonymous, citing ongoing fear for his safety.
During the ambush, the victim’s girlfriend and her niece came outside and were met with threats at gunpoint. One of the assailants reportedly warned them to retreat indoors or risk being shot.
Judge Siv Mjanger rejected a defense request for leniency based on Lewis Jr.’s fentanyl addiction, instead describing the attack as a “very, very violent act” that could have had fatal consequences.
She acknowledged Lewis’s addiction and participation in jail-based treatment programs but stated that “addiction is an explanation, not an excuse.”
Lewis Jr. was one of five people charged in connection with the robbery. These included his father, Shawn Lewis Sr., and others who prosecutors allege conspired to track and rob the victim.
Victim Thought He Would Die
The victim, who still suffers lingering physical effects from the assault, told the court he felt like “prey” the night he was attacked and believed he was going to die.
Investigators discovered that the victim had encountered a man he knew from gambling, Philip William Davids Sr., at the casino earlier that night. Suspicious of Davids’ behavior, the victim tried to lose him in a restroom.
Authorities later discovered that multiple phone calls were exchanged between Davids, the elder Lewis, and other suspects around the time of the crime.
After the robbery, law enforcement pursued the suspects’ red pickup truck and made arrests. Surveillance footage and phone records were used to tie Lewis Jr. and the others to the crime. The remaining co-defendants are scheduled to appear in court later this year.
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