Man sentenced for pair of local casino robberies

The Daily Inter Lake

A man convicted of grabbing cash from floor runners at two Kalispell-area casinos has been committed to the Montana Department of Corrections for 10 years with half that time suspended.

Keoni Kapu Lopaka, 39, held up floor runners at the Best Bet Casino in the 700 block of East Idaho Street and at Nickel Charlie's on two consecutive afternoons in late August 2008.

Lopaka, who pleaded guilty in January to one count of robbery, was sentenced Thursday in Flathead County District Court.

Authorities arrested Lopaka on Aug. 29 after he grabbed more than $860 from a keno runner's apron at Nickel Charlie's Casino.

When Flathead County Sheriff's deputies arrived at the Evergreen casino, patrons and employees had Lopaka pinned down in the parking lot.

A customer told deputies he heard the keno runner yelling and saw her chase a man outside. He and others in the casino followed, eventually wrestling Lopaka to the ground.

Lopaka also is responsible for the Aug. 28 armed robbery of the Best Bet Casino.

He approached a casino runner with a knife and demanded money before fleeing on foot with about $100.

Lopaka's hold-ups marked the first of seven robberies or attempted robberies at casinos in the Kalispell area in a four-month period at the end of 2008.

Other suspects have been arrested and charged in connection with armed robberies or attempted robberies at Lucky Lil's Casino near Wal-Mart on Sept. 24 and Gold Dust Casino on U.S. 2 West on Oct. 26.

Investigators still are searching for those 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.