Man accused of violating release terms

Tuesday, May 2, 2000 | 10:39 a.m.

One of three men accused in the 1993 kidnapping of Kevyn Wynn may be headed back to prison.

Anthony Watkins tested positive for marijuana use three times in March, a violation of his supervised release, according to David Sanders, chief U.S. probation officer for Nevada.

Watkins, who served as a lookout in the kidnapping of the daughter of casino owner Steve Wynn, could face a penalty between five months and two years for violating terms of a prison release agreement. Probation officials will recommend a sentence within that range, Sanders said.

Watkins, 26, initially appeared before Senior U.S. District Judge Lloyd George in late January on a warrant charging him with using marijuana and absconding from supervision.

Instead of returning Watkins to prison, George followed the recommendation of probation officials and allowed him to serve out the remaining 2 1/2 years of his supervised release.

"At the last hearing, he was given a rather stern admonition about not having this kind of problem again," Sanders said.

The judge also ordered Watkins to spend up to three months, at his own expense, under home confinement with electronic monitoring. George said Watkins could leave his residence for work.

Sanders said Watkins tested positive for marijuana on March 9, March 17 and March 21. The chief probation officer said each test showed increased levels of the illegal substance, indicating new uses of the drug.

Sanders said Watkins has denied using the drug.

Watkins was arrested in Sacramento, Calif., his hometown, on March 29.

He is being held in custody in Las Vegas and is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Roger Hunt on Friday.

Watkins served as a lookout in 1993 when two men abducted Kevyn Wynn at gunpoint as she arrived at her home in the posh Spanish Trails section of Las Vegas. He was sentenced in 1994 to 6 1/2 years in prison after pleading guilty to extortion-related charges and agreeing to testify against his co-defendants.

She was released unharmed several hours later after her father paid a $1.45 million ransom from the casino cage at The Mirage. Authorities say about $1 million of the ransom was recovered.