Casino robber sentenced

A 37-year-old Helena man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison and ordered to pay over $10,000 in restitution for a 2009 casino robbery spree in Kalispell, Great Falls, Butte and Helena.

William M. Lapp Jr., was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Charles Lovell in Helena.

Lapp pleaded guilty to robbery affecting commerce and use of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.

He was arrested on Oct. 24, 2009, shortly after a Helena casino was robbed at gunpoint. Lapp took a cash box with about $6,000 in it. The box and a .357 Ruger revolver was found when a probation officer searched Lapp’s home.

Lapp was accused of taking more than $16,000 from the four casinos in a string of robberies that started in July 29, 2009, in Kalispell.

According to a release from U.S. District Attorney’s Office, Lapp entered a Kalispell casino and asked an employee — the only person in the building — if it was still open.

He asked the woman if she could make change and as she pulled out a cash roll he brandished a chrome revolver and demanded money from the safe.

Approximately $1,700 was taken from the casino.

The employee was unable to determine with absolute certainty if Lapp was the suspect when provided a photograph lineup on Oct. 26 two days after his arrest.

Lapp used similar tactics in robbing the three other casinos in the months that followed. He robbed a Great Falls casino of $5,700 and a Butte casino of $3,000 before getting $6,000 from a Helena casino on the day of his arrest.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.