Woman sentenced in casino robbery
The Daily Inter Lake
A Kalispell woman convicted of robbery following a botched holdup attempt at the Lucky Lil's Casino near Wal-Mart on U.S. 2 in Evergreen will spend 10 years on probation after serving three years under the supervision of the Montana Department of Corrections.
On Thursday, Flathead County District Court Judge Ted Lympus recommended the Department of Corrections incarcerate 41-year-old Tami Lynn Kinshella in a treatment facility before sending her to a halfway house.
Kinshella was on probation in Flathead County for felony theft convictions in 2002 and 2003 when the attempted robbery occurred.
According to investigators, Kinshella approached a floor runner at the cashier's counter just before 2 p.m. on Sept. 24, brandished a realistic-looking BB pistol and twice demanded money.
After asking if Kinshella was serious, the floor runner refused and followed her out the door. Kinshella got in a blue pickup with a blue topper and fled.
Investigators later recovered the weapon during a search of Kinshella's truck.
Authorities responding to the casino located the woman's truck traveling eastbound on U.S. 2 and conducted a felony traffic stop in the parking lot of a business about a quarter-mile away. She was taken into custody without incident.
Video surveillance tapes show Kinshella taking the BB pistol, which except for its orange tip was manufactured to appear real, out of her pocket and brandishing it, according to court papers.
Pursuant to a plea agreement, Kinshella's 10-year probation (a suspended sentence to the Montana woman's prison) will begin after she serves the three-year commitment to the Department of Corrections for committing the robbery and violating the terms of her probation on the theft convictions.
The incident was the fourth of seven robberies or attempted robberies at Kalispell-area casinos in the last four months of 2008.
Other suspects have been arrested, charged, or convicted in connection with armed robberies or attempted robberies at the Best Bet Casino on East Idaho Street on Aug. 28, Nickel Charlie's Casino in Evergreen on Aug. 29 and the Gold Dust Casino on U.S. 2 West on Oct. 26.
Investigators still are searching for the man or men responsible for the Sept. 15 armed robbery of Windiggers Casino, the Oct. 15 armed robbery of the Players Club Casino, and the Dec. 8 armed robbery of the Loose Change Casino on North Main Street.