DA: Jake’s 58 Hotel & Casino guest with gun ‘concerning’
Raymond Hansen, 25, of East Patchogue, brought weapon into hotel, police said Friday. Credit: SCPD
A man was charged Friday morning with having an illegal military-style rifle in his Islandia casino hotel room, then arrested again Friday night after officers found illegal weapons in a raid of his home, Suffolk police said.
Raymond Hansen, 25, of Parker Lane in East Patchogue, is expected to be arraigned Saturday on two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Fourth Precinct detectives found two illegal semi-automatic rifles, police said. Police did not release other details.
Hansen had first been arrested after security at Jake’s 58 Hotel & Casino entered his room Thursday night to investigate a complaint about a barking dog, then discovered a disassembled, semi-automatic AR-15 rifle and two magazine clips capable of holding a combined 30 rounds of ammunition, police said. Hansen had smuggled them under his jacket and into his room, authorities said.
A police statement Friday morning had said Hansen “did not intend to use the weapon to cause harm,” but authorities did not disclose why he brought the rifle to his room.
“It’s concerning that an individual walked into a casino with an assault rifle,” Suffolk District Attorney Timothy Sini said at a news conference Friday in Hauppauge. “And that’s why we are taking this investigation extremely seriously. We are going to look into his past. We are going to dig and dig until we get the full picture.”
Hansen was arraigned in the casino-related case Friday on charges of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and unlawful possession of marijuana.
His defense attorney, Robert Del Col of Smithtown, said his client was out on $250,000 bond when he and his mother got home Friday and found officers ready to serve them a search warrant.
The attorney questioned the probable cause and legality of the search of Hansen’s hotel room. Del Col said Hansen is a gun enthusiast and legally bought the AR-15 in Pennsylvania, where the gun culture and shows attract many.
“He never posed a risk to anyone,” the attorney said, because he had his weapon in the hotel room for an “innocent” reason, which will be disclosed in time.
Hansen has no history of mental illness or work problems, Del Col said, and was at the casino because his family, including his mother and her boyfriend, wanted to gamble.
Sini said the hotel room was booked by Hansen and three other individuals. He did not identify those individuals but said they are part of the investigation.
The incident began at 8:15 p.m. Thursday when hotel security heard a dog incessantly barking inside the room, Sini said. Security entered the otherwise unoccupied room, where they found the disassembled AR-15, he said. Security called 911.
Hansen was arrested after he returned to the room while officers were still at the scene, police said. Marijuana was also found in the room, Sini said.
Hansen confessed to bringing the weapon and marijuana into the hotel room, according to a criminal complaint.
He does not have a criminal record, Sini said.
It’s unclear if the rifle was operable, Sini said, but aspects of the weapon are illegal under state law, including a telescoping stock and pistol grip.
Authorities found two magazine clips — one capable of holding 20 rounds of ammunition and another capable of holding 10 rounds. The SAFE Act prohibits possession of any magazine that has the capacity to hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.
“There are a lot of unanswered questions for the public,” said Sini, adding that there was no active threat.
Jake’s 58, which is run by Suffolk Off-Track Betting Corp. and has 1,000 video lottery terminal machines, said in a statement Friday that it is “cooperating fully with police on the criminal investigation.”
“Suffolk County Police and our on-site security staff responded quickly to safely handle the situation,” the statement said, “and we determined it was appropriate for the casino and hotel to continue to operate.”
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story included an incorrect spelling of defense attorney Robert Del Col’s surname and an incorrect spelling of Parker Lane.
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep. 17: Olympics a possibility for Long Beach wrestler? On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Newsday's Gregg Sarra talks with Long Beach wrestler Dunia Sibomana-Rodriguez about pursuing a third state title and possibly competing in the Olympics in 2028, plus Jared Valluzzi has the plays of the week.
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep. 17: Olympics a possibility for Long Beach wrestler? On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Newsday's Gregg Sarra talks with Long Beach wrestler Dunia Sibomana-Rodriguez about pursuing a third state title and possibly competing in the Olympics in 2028, plus Jared Valluzzi has the plays of the week.
