Golf star’s son pleads guilty in robbery

Bill Gang

Thursday, Feb. 17, 2000 | 10:53 a.m.

David Casper, the son of two-time U.S. Open golf champion Billy Casper, has pleaded guilty to two robbery-related charges that could put him in prison for the next 16 to 40 years.

In the deal, eight other drug, robbery and weapons charges will be dismissed and prosecutors agreed not to have the 26-year-old defendant declared an habitual criminal and sent to prison for life.

Casper already has felony convictions for escape and burglary in other states, and Nevada law permits a person to be declared an habitual criminal after a third conviction.

But no matter what sentence is handed down in the Las Vegas case by District Judge Mark Gibbons on March 29, Casper's problems will not be over.

He also is wanted in a string of up to 30 San Diego robberies and is also wanted in California on parole violation charges.

Casper was captured Nov. 11 in the 3300 block of West Tropicana Avenue by Metro Police officers, who were pursuing the robbers of the Bunkhouse Bar on South 11th Street near Fremont Street.

The targeting of Casper came after San Diego police alerted Metro that he might be in Las Vegas and that he was wanted in California on parole violation and robbery charges. Casper also was a suspect in the carjacking of a 1996 Audi and the theft of a 1996 Volvo.

Metro located the two stolen cars outside the Wild Wild West hotel-casino on West Tropicana Avenue and waited.

Casper was arrested by shotgun-wielding officers as he approached the cars.

At the time of his arrest, police indicated Casper reached for a concealed handgun and may have been intending to use it. A sawed-off shotgun, another handgun and drugs were found in his room, said Lt. Jim Moses of Metro Police's Career Criminals unit.

Police subsequently identified Casper as a suspect in the Bunkhouse Bar holdup.