Wynn kidnap figure ordered returned to jail

Greg Tuttle

Monday, May 8, 2000 | 11:04 a.m.

Two chances was one too many for Anthony Watkins, the lookout in the 1993 kidnapping of casino executive Steve Wynn's daughter.

After twice violating his supervision by smoking marijuana, Watkins was ordered Friday by an irritated U.S. District Court Judge Lloyd George to spend the next 11 months in jail.

"The time has finally come, you've been told," George said before rejecting a recommendation by prosecutors and Watkins' attorney for a nine-month sentence.

Watkins, 26, spent six years in a federal prison following his conviction in connection with the July 26, 1993, kidnapping of Kevyn Wynn, the daughter of the Mirage Resorts Inc. chairman, who has agreed to buy the Desert Inn.

Watkins was released from prison last June but has been arrested twice since then for violating conditions of his supervised release.

In January he was arrested in Sacramento, his hometown, after results from a urine test indicated he had used marijuana.

When he appeared before George a few days later, the judge decided not to send him to jail if he successfully completed the remaining 2 1/2 years of his supervised release.

That second chance proved to be his last. Watkins was arrested last week after again testing positive for marijuana.

"This wasn't an everyday thing for me. I tried hard not to go back" to drugs, Watkins told the judge Friday.

But George showed little sympathy and sentenced Watkins the maximum allowed under federal guidelines.

"I sincerely hope, Mr. Watkins, that you see the light," George said.

Watkins was the lookout as two other men abducted Wynn, then 26, from her home in Las Vegas. She was released several hours later after her father paid a $1.4 million ransom.

The kidnappers were arrested within days and $1 million of the ransom money was recovered. Ray Cuddy, 51 at the time of the crime, was sentenced to nearly 25 years. Jacob Sherwood, then 19, received a 19-year sentence.

Watkins was sentenced to six years after pleading guilty to reduced charges in exchange for his testimony against Cuddy and Sherwood.

Greg Tuttle covers federal offices for the Las Vegas Sun. He can be reached at 259-8813 or 380-8433 or e-mail him at tuttle@lasvegassun.com.