LA gang leader convicted in robbery at Harrah’s

Rachael Levy

Wednesday, Oct. 30, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

A leader of the Los Angeles-based Crips gang has been convicted of orchestrating the robbery of $97,000 from Harrah's hotel-casino.

After deliberating for just 1 1/2 hours Tuesday, a Las Vegas jury found Chet Govan guilty of five felonies in connection with the 1994 robbery. Govan faces up to 25 years in prison when sentenced Feb. 6.

Prosecutors characterized Govan as a "crime broker" who agreed to a temporary "truce for profit" with a rival Bloods gang member to carry out the robbery.

"The United States pulled back the curtain, and we flushed out the guy (in) the shadow. We thrust out Chet Govan," Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard Zlotnick said during Tuesday's closing arguments.

The government also accused the rival gang member, Melvin Foster, of helping mastermind the robbery. Foster pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Prosecutors said he is facing 10 to 15 years for accepting the plea bargain; Foster's attorney said the prison time is more like 20 years.

The 29-year-old Govan recruited five younger Crips to commit the holdup, provided them with two guns and walked them through a series of dry runs, the jury found.

The five gangsters were caught by police while fleeing Harrah's and all pleaded guilty and are serving prison terms. A gang member not involved in the robbery and one of the convicted robbers testified against Govan, providing the jury with the firsthand information it needed to convict, jurors said after the trial ended.

"Their testimony really corroborated the other evidence," juror Robin Vincent said.

Telephone records, casino surveillance film and fingerprints placed Govan in Las Vegas the night the robbery occurred. But his attorney, Donald Green, argued that the government's allegations boiled down to guilt by association, which is not a crime.

"That didn't wash with any of us," jury forewoman Grace Marshall said.

Green also urged jurors to doubt the testimony of the two gangsters who testified Govan was the brains behind the robbery. The defense lawyer said witnesses may have tailored their testimony to impress the government and get their sentences reduced.

Green was not available after the verdict was returned.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom O'Connell said during and after the trial that a sentence reduction was offered in exchange for cooperation. But he has not decided whether to ask that a specific number of months be shaved off the gangsters' sentences or if he will leave it to the judge's discretion.

The five felonies Govan was convicted of are conspiring to interfere with commerce by threats or violence, use of a firearm in a crime of violence, aiding and abetting, money laundering and forfeiture.