Reno Casino Attacker Sentenced to 41 Years in Prison

A man who attempted to murder his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend at a Nevada casino last summer was sentenced to 41 years in prison earlier this week. Honorable Judge Egan Walker, a former Carson City deputy district attorney, imposed the lengthy sentence.

The severe penalty was requested by deputy district attorney Hunter Heidrich, who argued that the criminal case “constituted a tear in the fabric in his community.” Moreover, Heidrich said that the criminal case impacted the emotional well-being of the visitors of the casino where the crime had taken place, while causing physical and emotional pain to the victim.

The sentencing involved a 38-year-old man identified with the initials J.S., who pleaded guilty to four charges regarding the criminal case. Judge Walker agreed with the request of the deputy district attorney and sentenced the 38-year-old man to 41 years in prison. Still, J.S. would be eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 12 years in prison.

As noted, the recent sentencing follows a guilty plea of the 38-year-old. The man previously pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm within a structure, burglary while in possession of a firearm, assault with the use of a firearm as well as attempted murder with the use of a firearm. The tough charges ultimately resulted in the hefty prison sentence. However, considering the parole, the man may be released earlier.

The Attack Resulted in Injuries to One Victim

The attempted murder took place at Bonanza Casino, a popular casino in Reno. The venue currently offers sportsbook, keno as well as poker and slot machines. As with any casino, there’s usually plenty of visitors during the nighttime and this was precisely the case for the night when the crime was committed.

The criminal act dates back to last summer when on July 4, J.S. walked into Bonanza Casino’s bar. The young man was carrying his gun and saw his ex-girlfriend with her new boyfriend. In a moment, the defendant took the gun out of his pocket and started hitting the boyfriend of his former girlfriend. While pistol-whipping the victim, the gun was discharged.

After that, the attacker attempted to shoot the victim, but the gun jammed. Once clearing the gun, the 38-year-old shot the unnamed victim in the leg. Several other shots were fired as well, but luckily no one else was hurt.

After the incident, the attacker left the venue on foot. He was arrested later on the same day by officers with the Reno Police Department. Upon his arrest, the defendant said: “I let my emotions get the best of me.” Investigating the case, police officers recovered CCTV footage where the 38-year-old attacker is seen outside of the casino putting on a ski mask before entering and shooting the victim.