Gas attack-threatening bank robber sentenced

Kim Smith

Friday, Jan. 18, 2002 | 9:28 a.m.

A 30-year-old mentally ill man, who during an attempted robbery threatened to release sarin gas, was sentenced Thursday to three to 11 years in prison.

Luke Davis, who didn't actually have the deadly gas, could have been sentenced to as little as one year or as many as 26 years in prison for the Jan. 12, 2001, robbery of the First Security Bank at 1620 E. Flamingo Road.

Davis' public defenders, Jeff Banks and Amy Dreifus, said Davis was delusional at the time of the robbery and believed he and his parents would be killed if he didn't rob the bank.

Four of the seven bank tellers held hostage by Davis told District Judge John McGroarty Thursday that Davis appeared amused and composed during the 3 1/ 2-hour incident.

"I'm here your honor to let you know that Luke Davis was not in La La Land," said Toni Bullard. "He was very coherent."

Throughout the ordeal, Davis kept his hand inside a duffle bag, claiming it held a container of sarin gas and a device that would trigger it and two other containers placed near the Strip, May said.

McGroarty cited a 25-page psychological report that described Davis as a paranoid delusional man as the reasoning behind his decision regarding the sentence.