Las Vegas, Nevada – In the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, a court has officially assembled a jury on Monday for the trial involving a local police officer who stands accused of conducting multiple casino heists.
Caleb Rogers, the officer in question, is likely to be portrayed by federal prosecutors as a chronic gambler who became increasingly desperate as his debts mounted. According to the allegations, the 35-year-old police officer stole almost $165,000 during a series of three robberies committed over four months at off-strip casinos. The prosecution asserts that during at least one of these heists, Rogers was armed with a weapon supplied by his employer, the police department.
Richard Pocker, Rogers’ legal counsel, has responded to these allegations by arguing that the government’s case linking Rogers to two of the robberies is fundamentally weak. Pocker accused federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, of coercing two individuals, including Rogers’ own brother, to identify him as the suspect in order to conclude their investigation.
The trial, expected to commence with opening statements on Tuesday, is predicted to span the remainder of the week.
According to the investigators and prosecutors, Rogers managed to abscond with over $85,000 during the initial two robberies, which took place between November 2021 and January 2022. Throughout this period, his colleagues in the police department were attempting to apprehend the elusive culprit.
Rogers allegedly secured an additional $79,000 during a third robbery in February 2022 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. However, security personnel were able to detain him outside the premises after a brief confrontation.
Authorities have described a consistent modus operandi across all three crimes, noting that the perpetrator sported a face mask, dark clothing, and black latex gloves. Following the handover of cash by the cashiers, the individual concealed the money within a bag tucked under his jacket and then proceeded to exit the scene with a distinctive limp, using what authorities refer to as a “disposable vehicle.”
Mehmet Erdem, a professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who specializes in hotel and casino operations, has noted the inherent difficulty in successfully executing casino heists. He cites the significant risk of apprehension due to the combination of comprehensive casino security forces, both uniformed and in plain clothes, and the technological advances in security systems including facial recognition and high-definition cameras.
At the time of the alleged crimes, Rogers was a seven-year veteran of the police force, serving as an active-duty patrol officer for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. He remains employed but has been placed on unpaid leave “without police powers,” awaiting the conclusion of the criminal trial, as confirmed by a department spokesperson.
Key witnesses in the trial include casino cashiers, security guards, and Rogers’ brother, Josiah, who was granted immunity from prosecution after identifying his brother in security footage captured during the first two robberies.
Rogers, currently in custody after being denied bail on four charges, allegedly used his brother’s car during one of the robberies and subsequently instructed him to dispose of it. Details from court documents also suggest that during the third robbery, Rogers was equipped with body armor under his clothing and carried a police-issued revolver with a concealed serial number.
During the alleged incident, Rogers is said to have jumped over the counter, threatened an older female cashier who was handling a large sum of money, and proceeded to stuff the stolen cash into his jacket. As he attempted to exit the casino with nearly $79,000, a team of security guards confronted him, leading to a standoff where Rogers brandished his firearm and questioned their willingness to risk their lives. A subsequent scuffle resulted in the guards managing to seize the weapon.
Upon the arrival of other police officers, Rogers is reported to have revealed his department personnel number – a common practice among police officers when identifying themselves to their colleagues.
When a detective later queried Rogers about potential preventative measures for the robberies, Rogers simply replied, “Nothing.”
