Umatilla County man sentenced in 2022 armed casino robbery

PORTLAND — A 55-year-old Umatilla County man was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in federal prison for a 2022 armed robbery at Wildhorse Resort and Casino in Pendleton that led to a shootout with tribal police.

Javier Vigil received the two-decade sentence alongside five years of supervised release after pleading guilty in April to federal charges including attempted murder, robbery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. A federal judge also ordered Vigil to pay $2,040.71 in restitution to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation.

Court documents reveal that on Aug. 17, 2022, Vigil entered the tribal casino. He handed a note to a cash cage teller demanding $1 million, drew a pistol, and made threats while employees gathered cash.

Vigil walked out with over $69,000. Outside, he spotted a tribal police officer, raised his firearm, and opened fire.

A gunfight ensued, leaving Vigil wounded on the ground before officers took him into custody. A bystander outside the building was also injured by a stray bullet during the exchange.

Investigators determined Vigil acquired the firearm roughly two weeks before the heist, despite past convictions that prohibited him from owning guns. He changed his plea to guilty on the second day of his trial earlier this year.

“Vigil gambled and lost when he chose to rob this casino with a gun,” U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford said, praising law enforcement for risking their lives to apprehend the shooter.

All photos courtesy U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Oregon

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Elkhorn Media Group