Trial dates set for suspects in Strip casino robberies

Kim Smith

Thursday, Dec. 6, 2001 | 8:56 a.m.

After hearing from nearly 40 witnesses over three days, a Las Vegas justice of the peace Wednesday ordered that two men suspected of robbing casinos stand trial on the charges.

Jose Vigoa, 41, will be arraigned Dec. 13 on 27 charges connected to the June 3, 2000, slayings of armored truck guards Richard Sosa, 47, and Gary Dean Prestidge II, 23, and heists at the MGM Grand, Desert Inn and Mandalay Bay.

Pedro Duarte, 37, faces seven counts in connection with the same June 28, 1999, robbery of the Desert Inn.

Vigoa had originally faced 29 counts connected to the robberies, but Justice of the Peace James Bixler said there wasn't enough evidence to move forward on two stolen vehicle counts.

Police allege Vigoa began robbing hotels in June 1998 with the help of Duarte, 37, Luis Suarez, 37, and Oscar Sanchez Cisneros, 23.

The MGM Grand was robbed Sept. 20, 1998, the Desert Inn on June 28, 1999, the Mandalay Bay on Oct. 11, 1999, and the Bellagio on June 3, 2000.

Prosecutors also believe the men shot Sosa and Prestidge to death outside the Henderson Ross Dress for Less store on March 3, 2000, during a robbery that netted $4,100 in cash.

Vigoa and Cisneros were arrested within days of the Bellagio robbery, and Suarez was arrested three months later. All three men were bound over for trial in that case as detectives worked to link them and Duarte to the murders and the other robberies.

Cisneros implicated himself and the others in the crime spree, but when he committed suicide in October 2000 the investigation became more complicated.

Because Cisneros is no longer available to be cross-examined, prosecutors cannot use his statement against the other three men. As a result, detectives had to try to find other evidence linking them to the crimes.

After months of investigation Vigoa was the sole suspect to be charged in the Henderson slayings, and Duarte was charged only with the Desert Inn robbery. No further charges have been brought against Suarez.

When issuing his ruling Wednesday, Bixler said he doesn't believe the prosecutors offered enough evidence to show that Duarte conspired with Vigoa on all of the crimes. Instead, Bixler said they only showed sufficient evidence to hold Duarte and Vigoa for trial on conspiracy charges in the Desert Inn robbery.

After next week's arraignment, the prosecutors are expected to ask District Judge Kathy Hardcastle for permission to try all three defendants simultaneously.

Defense attorneys said they will fight that motion. In fact, they said they will ask Hardcastle to split the case into three trials.

This week's preliminary hearing was held over the objections of Deputy Public Defenders Drew Christensen and Steve Immerman, who represent Vigoa.

Immerman said he had concerns about Vigoa's competency. On the first day of the hearing, Vigoa claimed he fell and was suffering from amnesia as a result. He said he didn't recall his name, those of his attorneys or the reason he was in court.

Bixler declined to postpone the hearing, and Immerman said he intended to have his client examined by a psychologist after the hearing.

On Wednesday, Vigoa was interacting frequently with his attorneys, suggesting questions they may ask the various witnesses.