Lookout in Wynn kidnap violates parole

Kim Smith

Tuesday, Dec. 14, 1999 | 11:15 a.m.

One of three men convicted in the 1993 kidnapping of casino mogul Steve Wynn's daughter was arrested in California Monday for allegedly violating his supervised release.

Anthony Watkins, 26, who was released from prison June 4, was arrested without incident at his sister's home in Sacramento, said Sue Sorum, the chief U.S. Probation officer for the Eastern District of California.

Sorum said a warrant for Watkins' arrest was issued after a California probation officer informed authorities in Nevada that Watkins had violated the terms of his supervised release, what was formerly known as parole.

Scott Ballock, a U.S. Probation officer in Las Vegas, said that while Watkins was being supervised in California, U.S. District Judge Lloyd George retains jurisdiction over the case.

U.S. District Judge Johnnie Rawlinson issued a warrant for Watkins' arrest on Dec. 9, Ballock said. George was unavailable at that time.

"(Watkins') first urine screen tested positive for illegal drugs and when the probation officer went to contact him to question him, he was nowhere to be found," Ballock said. "He was absent for about a six-week period before he was arrested yesterday."

Ballock said the drug test showed Watkins had been smoking marijuana.

If George finds that Watkins did violate supervised release, Watkins could be given up to two years in prison, Ballock said.

Watkins was sentenced to six and one half years in prison and three years supervised release in September 1994 for his role in the kidnapping of Kevin Wynn.

According to authorities, Ray Cuddy and Jacob Sherwood surprised Kevin Wynn, then 26, in the garage of her townhouse on July 26, 1993, blindfolded and bound her and then forced her to pose for pornographic photographs. Cuddy then began making arrangements with Steve Wynn, Mirage Resorts chairman, for a $1.45 million ransom drop-off.

Watkins, who was parked at a nearby fast-food restaurant, acted as lookout.

Eventually, Cuddy and Sherwood put Kevin Wynn in the rear of her car and drove out of her subdivision. Cuddy joined Watkins in another car, and Sherwood took their victim to McCarran International Airport, where she was found unharmed after Cuddy and Watkins picked up the ransom.

The three were identified as suspects within a few days after authorities were able to trace the phone calls they made to Steve Wynn. Cuddy was arrested on Aug. 1, 1993, while making a sizeable down payment on a $196,000 Ferrari in Newport Beach, Calif. Sherwood and Watkins, who are cousins, were arrested Sept. 20, 1993, in St. Louis.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom O'Connell said authorities recovered nearly $1 million of the ransom money.

Ballock informed the Wynn family of Watkins' arrest Monday, O'Connell said.

"I contacted Mirage security to notify the family as a matter of courtesy," O'Connell said. "There was no indication there was ever a threat."