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Anthony Michael Carleo, 29, also known as Anthony Assad, was arrested after he met undercover officers to sell high-value chips taken in the heist. He is the son of Las Vegas Municipal Court Judge George Assad.
Carleo was booked Thursday morning at the Clark County Detention Center on robbery, burglary and drug trafficking charges. He is being held without bail.
Carleo was a guest at the Bellagio, and police executed search warrants at both the hotel and at the home of the judge.
The robbery occurred at 3:50 a.m. Dec. 14 when a man parked a late-model black motorcycle at the casino's north valet entrance. Leaving the motorcycle running, he walked into the casino wearing a white, full-face motorcycle helmet and a leather jacket. He approached a craps table, pulled a pistol and demanded money. He was given an estimated $1.5 million in casino chips in denominations from $100 to $25,000.
No one was hurt, and no shots were fired, security did not try to stop the man out of concern that a shootout might injure casino patrons. Because of the large denominations of the chips, police and gaming industry insiders have speculated the robber would never be able to cash them without giving himself away.
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