Banned from Casino Arizona and put in jail (Phoenix, Mesa: insurance, casinos)

[cmist]

I wanted to throw this experience out there and get some opinions. It happened about 2 years back but as I read all these other run ins with the law, I wanted to share mine.

Me and a friend had gone to a bar and then thought it would be fun to hit up the casino afterward. Once inside I had to stop at the ATM and get some cash at which point I had inserted my card the wrong way and fumbled a bit trying to get it to read the card... I wasn't drunk, made no interactions with anyone, and besides, I may flip the card a few times at the ATM machines while sober too if it doesnt read right away.

Next thing I know this janitor type lady comes out and says, I'm sorry but I'm going to have to ask you to leave. I didn't know what type of authority this janitor lady had, so I might have been a little rude in my tone when I asked why.

She said that I'm intoxicated and clearly unable to operate an ATM machine. At which point I said, I am not intoxicated BUT even if I was, don't you serve alcohol here? Within a few seconds I'm surrounded by a fleet of people wearing walkie talkies ushering me out the door. My friend had split earlier while I went to the machine but was also found and escorted outside.

As I walk out, there are now police cars out front writing me a ticket for disorderly conduct because I kept insisting that I wasn't drunk, I could walk a line, take a breathalizer, recite the abc's backwards, etc. My persistance only angered them more and they told me to shut up or they will throw me in jail. I scoffed a little at the idea since I did nothing wrong, but as it turns out my license had a 5 year old suspension on it due to paying a speeding ticket late and never reinstating it for $2 on the MVD site. Although it was technically viewed as a suspension, the problem was I didnt realize it was on the license until that day 5 years later, and I qualified at any point prior to pay the fee and reinstate.

So they threw me in the slammer on the grounds of a fraudulent drivers license, even though it was valid but not updated in the system. My friend drove so it wasn't even on the grounds of driving on a suspended license. It was on the premise of a "fraudulent ID".

To this day I am still not allowed there because of this run in. Are there laws against having a drink before you enter a casino?? or time limits on how long you have to operate an ATM?? Is this a case of a bored overstaffed police force looking for ways to rake in some cash?? In the end I had to pay $200 for them to reduce the charge to a civil complaint rather than the original class misdemeanor that would have incorrectly labeled me as a distributor of fraudulent ID's on my permanent record. Any thoughts or similar experiences??

[BillyBaroo]

Originally Posted by cmist

I might have been a little rude in my tone

That's probably where your problems started.

[cmist]

Originally Posted by BillyBaroo

That's probably where your problems started.

Yup! and how often they must hear, "I'm not drunk!!!"

But I really wasn't and thats why I got kind of mad. I had alcohol on my breath but it was like a couple beers, nothing they don't sell right there. If I had been drunk I wouldnt have had the balls to push the envelope since I would be scared of being busted.

But true, the lesson I learned is... police can concoct up whatever they want if they want your @ss.

[kdog]

Yup. I had something similar happen during a traffic stop. No alcohol involved, thank goodness. I won't go into details, but suffice to say, the cops will always get the last laugh. I've been sweet as sugar to cops ever since, and it's paid off.

[cmist]

Originally Posted by kdog

I've been sweet as sugar to cops ever since, and it's paid off.

Me too. I'm just not sure why I was approached in the first place. I wasnt totally bumbling at the ATM, I just flipped the card a couple times when it didnt read it right away. The rest I get was due to my attitude.

[azkylady2]

why you attracted attention at that casino.. But the couple times I have been there it seems security always had someone outside surrounded by several suits on walkie talkies. It gives the impression that its a troublesome place or they are very strict. I have never seen security issures going on outside any of the other Phoenix casinos that I have been to. That one seems to have more going on for some reason.

[wit-nit]

First of all you were on foreign territory, an Indian reservation, and subject to the Indian Laws and their regulations. Those seem to differ from our regular laws/regulations. Secondly you must be a white man and this is the payback for the way your ancestors treated the Indians of yore.
I had a run in with the Indian Police, one time on their reservation, when one of their people ran into my vehicle. It was obvious the other parties fault but they would not just take my side of the issue. I was told that if I complained and filed a report that I was subject to impounding and arrest til the scene could be sorted out and that could take several days, or I could just leave and file a report with my insurance company. I left, it was not worth the trouble of spending time in their jail sorting it out.

[cmist]

Originally Posted by azkylady2

why you attracted attention at that casino.. But the couple times I have been there it seems security always had someone outside surrounded by several suits on walkie talkies. It gives the impression that its a troublesome place or they are very strict. I have never seen security issures going on outside any of the other Phoenix casinos that I have been to. That one seems to have more going on for some reason.

Thats true, I never really noticed the difference because I dont pay attention until they are arresting me.

I got the distinct impression that West Mesa Precinct uses the casino as a way to write citations for funding. There were way too many police officers assigned to the issue of a "fumbling ATM user". In the end, all they wanted was for me to pay $200 and they erased the whole issue.

That West Mesa Justice Court was THE WORST. The clerks were rude and sloppy, and the lobby was filled with people that had equally ridiculous matters going on. On the rare occasion I go to a casino, I go to the Fort, its nicer and not as wound up looking for someone to arrest.

[BillyBaroo]

Originally Posted by kdog

Yup. I had something similar happen during a traffic stop. No alcohol involved, thank goodness. I won't go into details, but suffice to say, the cops will always get the last laugh. I've been sweet as sugar to cops ever since, and it's paid off.

Sometimes it can be really tough because the cops have a bad attitude. Just have to bite the tongue and get through it as fast as you can. Maybe they've been having a bad day dealing with all kinds of people.

[cmist]

Originally Posted by BillyBaroo

Sometimes it can be really tough because the cops have a bad attitude. Just have to bite the tongue and get through it as fast as you can. Maybe they've been having a bad day dealing with all kinds of people.

Very good point. I did feel provoked. I was tending my own business at the ATM. There was no question like, are you OK sir and trying to speak with me to check out my speech or whatever. It was an immediate tap on the shoulder and an "excuse me you have to leave" by a lady wheeling around a cleaning cart! First I thought it was a joke, but it escalated rapidly into a nightmare.

Then when the "Non-Indian" cops were waiting out front, I toned it down and thought we might all laugh about how crazy the scene was, but instead they were nasty making it hard for me to keep my cool... and then... the whole thing went downhill from there.