(Lawrenceburg, IN) – The man accused of robbing Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg the evening of Saturday, March 2 is being held on a $1 million bond in Dearborn County.
39-year-old Daniel Birdseye was arrested in a wooded area near the casino after the incident, and was formally charged Tuesday with Kidnapping, Robbery Armed with a Deadly Weapon, Criminal Confinement, Intimidation and Battery on Public Safety Officials.
All five charges are felonies.
Dearborn County Prosecutor Lynn Deddens says no shots were fired during the robbery, but that things could have been worse.
“This was a very dangerous and potentially deadly situation,” said Deddens. “Birdseye brandished and pointed the gun at several Hollywood employees and threatened to shoot at least one of them,” Deddens said. “He held a man at gunpoint in order to help in his attempted escape.”
According to court documents, investigators learned that Birdseye was gambling at the casino earlier in the day, and that he left and returned shortly before 7:30 p.m.
Upon entering the facility, investigators say Birdseye walked to the main cage/bank area of the casino, and started following a male employee to the bank area.
Once in the bank area, the employee was allegedly cornered by Birdseye. Authorities say he used a 9 mm handgun and demanded money from the employee.
After Birdseye got the money, he allegedly jumped through a teller window and got into the bank area. A female employee who saw this tried to shut the door, but investigators say he kicked the door open and cut her arm.
According to court documents, Birdseye then confined himself and the male employee inside the bank area, and again demanded money. He moved on to the cashiers in another section of the bank area, and allegedly pointed a firearm and grabbed money from drawers. The money was then shoved into a shoulder sling bag he was carrying, according to investigators.
An employee told investigators that Birdseye said to him,” You are gonna be my hostage and get me out of this building.”
The employee took Birdseye to the casino’s first level to an exit, where the employee was released.
Birdseye was eventually found in the nearby Oxbow Nature Conservancy. Investigators say he had a loaded handgun and magazine plus a shoulder sling bag containing cash on him.
Court documents say, at the time of his arrest, Birdseye waived his Miranda Rights and told law enforcement he committed the robbery because he was desperate and in debt.
After he was transported to the Dearborn County Law Enforcement for booking, Birdseye allegedly became combative with two corrections officers and was charged with Battery on Public Safety Officials.
Birdseye is from Cincinnati.
Agencies taking part in the investigation include the lndiana Gaming Commission, the Dearborn County Sheriff’s Office, the Lawrenceburg, Greendale and Aurora police departments, Indiana State Police, Dearborn County Communications/911 and the Boone County (Kentucky) Sheriff’s Office.