‘Biker Bandit’ to be sentenced for $1.5-million Bellagio theft

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The movie-worthy story of the “Biker Bandit” is expected to come to an inglorious end Tuesday when the man who robbed the Bellagio casino of $1.5 million in chips is sentenced in a Las Vegas courtroom.

Anthony Carleo faces at least three years in prison, prosecutor Christopher Owens told the Times in June, when Carleo pleaded guilty to armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.

Carleo admitted to storming the Bellagio in the wee hours of Dec. 14. Wearing a helmet that obscured his face, he waved a handgun at craps table No. 5 and demanded casino chips, which ranged in denomination from $100 to $25,000. He stuffed them into a fanny pack, raced out of the casino and zipped off on a black motorcycle.

But Carleo’s thievery lacked Hollywood polish. A few days beforehand, court papers said, he told a Bellagio poker dealer that it would be “easy” to rip off a casino.

“Dude, you watch ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ too much. This is real life and that ... doesn’t happen,” the dealer said.

“Oh, no, it’s not that hard. All you need is a black mask and a motorcycle, and I have a motorcycle,’ Carleo replied.

After the theft, it didn’t take long for Carleo to return to the crime scene. He gambled away so much at the Bellagio -– $72,000 on New Year’s Eve alone -– that the casino provided him with the meals and hotel rooms it typically affords to high-rollers, authorities said.

The high-end casino is also where he sold “cranberry” chips –- valued at $25,000 -– to an undercover officer at cut-rate prices. The officer testified that when he suggested Carleo join his crew and rip off the Bellagio, Carleo laughed.

“I already did,” said Carleo, who was arrested soon afterward.

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-- Ashley Powers in Nevada
Twitter.com/ashleypowers