Montego Bay Bandit Tony Vera Faces Life In Prison

Montego Bay bandit Tony Vera will be sentenced next week to possibly life in prison in Elko District Court.

Vera was set to be sentenced on January 13 in plea bargain arranged by his attorney Gary Woodbury and Elko County District Attorney Mark Torvinen. According to Woodbury, Vera, would have pleaded guilty to one count of burglary and would have a received a six to ten year sentence.

Vera had been looking a life in prison sentence for being an habitual criminal.

But instead of going to prison for six years, Vera jumped bail and escaped temporarily.

A month later he was was back in custody after being arrested in Las Vegas on a drug charge.

“He was arrested on February 20, 2015 at an apartment complex located in the 4800 block of Boulder Highway.  Patrol officers conducted an investigatory stop and he ran from officers,” said Las Vegas Metro Public Information Officer  Laura Meltzer. “During the search incident to arrest, multiple baggies of what was later determined to be methamphetamine was located on his person.  He was booked for possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell and obstructing.”

Vera was first captured at his girl friend’s house near Tucson, Arizona on March 13, 2014 one month after he along with Elbert Woodson robbed the Montego Bay Casino.

While on the run, Vera gave an exclusive interview to the High Desert Advocate. In it, Vera claimed that there were at least six persons involved and that he did not commit the actual robbery. But the biggest bomb Vera dropped was that very little of the $81,000 stolen was ever recovered by police.

According to Woodbury only $3,400 was recovered from Woodson’s car after it crashed leaving a little over $75,000 unaccounted for.

“You do the math,” Woodbury said at the time.

According to Vera he has had two previous felony convictions one for burglary and one for robbery. He finished a ten and a half year sentence in 2012.

“I was at Ely and then at Carson,” he said. “I got out in 2012 and came to Wendover.”

Woodbury confirmed that it would very likely that Vera would indeed be classified as an habitual criminal and would get a life sentence if he lost at trial.

According to police reports the robber was wearing either a mask or face paint during the crime so identification is impossible. However according to Woodbury the body type of the robber is not close match for Vera.

“It isn’t a close match because it isn’t me.” Vera said. “Like I said I was in Salt Lake when it went down. As soon as I heard about it me and another guy took off toward Wendover. I was on the overpass right at the road block the cops set up. I was the one who told Elbert about the road block that is why he turned off the freeway. I couldn’t have known about the road block if I was coming from Wendover could I? The only thing they have placing me in the casino at the time of the robbery is Lauren’s testimony. Why they believe her and not charge her I really don’t know.”

Vera claims he was not at the casino during the robbery he did admit that he had been there a week before during a previous attempt to rob it.

“It didn’t work out,” Vera said. “The original plan was to go to the Bonneville Gardens Apartments but I guess Elbert decided to go to Salt Lake.”

Even if Vera’s claims are true the fact that he was actually working in the casino and had a gaming card has lead many to question the Gaming control Board efficacy on back ground checks.

Vera’s partner in crime, Elbert Woodson, did not attend his sentencing hearing either and his whereabouts are perhaps unknown. There is a $50,000 bounty for his arrest.

Unlike his much more flamboyant partner Tony Vera, Woodson kept his mouth stoically closed from the time he was arrested for robbing the casino to the day he made his $7,500 bail several months later.

However when the day came to be sentenced, Woodson like Vera a month before was a no show in Elko District Court. Unlike his partner in crime Woodson could have a second chance. While an arrest warrant was immediately issued for Vera, Woodson has a month to change his mind and report to court. According to Elko County clerk records a March 25 hearing to show cause was scheduled by judge Al Kacin for the perhaps forgetful Woodson in late March.

Woodson and Vera were the first two thieves to at least be partially successful in robbing a Wendover Casino in over 75 years.