Prosecutors: Organized Crew Stole Thousands from Gambling Safes in 10 Counties

Apr 22

Eight men are now charged in what investigators say was a coordinated burglary ring targeting charitable gambling funds across Minnesota.

Prosecutors allege the crew worked together for nearly a year, committing dozens of break-ins and thefts with a central hub in Saint Paul and a clear leader assigning roles.

The charges were filed Friday in Hennepin County against Jawan Edward Jackson, Arron Scott King Sr., Arron Scott King Jr., Cory Jay Rosillo, Tyler Nicolaus Paananen-Berneche, Emondre James Morrison, Sean Charles Fikes, and Dale Anthony Massie Jr. All eight face one count each of felony racketeering for allegedly participating in a criminal enterprise that committed at least 44 felony-level burglaries or attempted burglaries between March 2023 and February 2024. Ten of those incidents occurred in Hennepin County.

According to the criminal complaints, the investigation began after a series of break-ins showed signs of similar planning and execution. The crew reportedly focused on bars and golf courses that kept large amounts of cash onsite from pull tab sales and other charitable gambling operations. In many cases, businesses were broken into after hours using sledgehammers, pry bars, and other tools to reach safes and pull tab booths. The suspects typically wore gloves and ski masks, investigators said.

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At the center of the operation, prosecutors say, was 49-year-old Arron Scott King Sr., who used his residence on Arbor Street in Saint Paul as a base of operations. Law enforcement surveillance and phone data showed numerous gatherings at the home before and after burglaries. Agents say King Sr. selected the targets, organized planning meetings, conducted internet searches for addresses, and coordinated getaways. Surveillance footage captured him holding stacks of cash hours after at least two of the break-ins, and deposit records showed cash going into his bank account shortly afterward.

One of the first cases linked to the group was a March 6, 2023 burglary at Wild Boar in Hopkins, where more than $21,000 in gambling funds and a blank check were taken from a safe. Surveillance footage and interviews with a co-defendant pointed to Jackson and another man as the ones who entered the building. King Sr. allegedly provided detailed instructions on where to find the safe and how long the suspects had before police would arrive.

Ten days later, Cowboy Jack’s in Otsego was hit in a similar fashion. More than $17,000 belonging to the Rogers Youth Hockey Association was taken. Google account records showed King Sr. searched the bar’s address less than an hour before the burglary. His bank records again reflected a $2,000 cash deposit later that morning.

In another incident on March 22, the American Legion in Saint Louis Park was broken into, though nothing was stolen. That break-in, according to law enforcement, involved Rosillo, who had been seen casing the business earlier that day.

Over the following months, law enforcement agencies across the metro and greater Minnesota continued identifying similar break-ins with matching tactics and suspects. Many of the burglaries happened within hours of suspects’ phones being located at the Arbor Street address or later returning there. A law enforcement pole camera installed outside the Saint Paul home captured vehicle movements and group gatherings that aligned with the timing of multiple crimes.

Investigators also relied on search warrants targeting cell phone data, Facebook messages, and Google accounts to piece together the crew’s movements and connections. In one case, Google location data placed Paananen-Berneche at the Otsego burglary scene, followed by a visit to King Sr.’s house shortly after. Vehicle rentals, recovered tools, and social media content helped corroborate the group’s involvement, prosecutors said.

Each defendant is accused of directly participating in at least three felony burglaries or thefts connected to the group’s alleged enterprise. The complaints note that while some suspects entered buildings and took cash, others played roles in surveillance, planning, or transportation.

If convicted of racketeering, each man faces up to 20 years in prison and/or a $1 million fine.

Warrants have been issued for all eight defendants.

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