A 29-year-old former Pueblo man accused of a brazen armed robbery at a posh Las Vegas casino pleaded not guilty Thursday.
Prosecutors say Tony Carleo was the man disguised in a motorcycle helmet who pointed a gun at a dealer, collected $1.5 million in chips and fled on a motorcycle waiting outside the Bellagio casino in the early hours of Dec. 14.
Carleo, the son of a prominent Las Vegas judge, is scheduled for trial next January and could spend decades in prison if convicted.
Carleo was staying at the Bellagio when he was arrested by undercover officers Feb. 2 after he allegedly tried to fence the high-denomination chips, according to his arrest report. He had tried to sell the chips online, using the name “Biker Bandit,” but a would-be buyer instead alerted the FBI, said investigators.
Officers recovered $900,000 in Bellagio chips from Carleo at the time he was arrested.
A Pueblo South High graduate, Carleo reportedly had lived an expensive lifestyle in Las Vegas before his arrest.
Police said Carleo lost about $105,000 at the Bellagio in the month after the robbery, including $73,000 on New Year’s Eve.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
