A man from Cincinnati has been convicted on various charges related to a robbery and kidnapping incident that occurred in 2024 at the Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. This case is believed to be the first prosecution of a casino robbery in Indiana, according to Lynn Deddens, Prosecutor for Dearborn and Ohio Counties.
After a four-day trial, 42-year-old Daniel Birdseye was found guilty by a jury of kidnapping, armed criminal confinement, and three counts of armed intimidation. On the trial’s first day, he also pleaded guilty to robbery while armed with a deadly weapon.
The jury did acquit Birdseye on one count of armed criminal confinement and one count of armed intimidation. Evidence presented during the trial revealed that on March 2, 2024, Birdseye entered the casino with a loaded 9mm handgun, demanding money from the casino’s cage area.
Testimony and video evidence demonstrated that Birdseye threatened employees with the firearm, forcing them to retreat to secured areas before making off with cash. Authorities reported that he used one of the employees as a hostage while leaving the casino.
Multiple law enforcement agencies responded quickly to the casino and initiated a search of the surrounding area. Birdseye was eventually captured in the Oxbow Nature Conservancy shortly after his escape from the scene.
The responding agencies included local police, deputies from Dearborn and Ohio Counties, Indiana state troopers, and even Homeland Security personnel. Law enforcement recovered a loaded handgun, ammunition, and cash that had been stolen during the robbery. In a recorded interview, Birdseye confessed to the crime.
Prosecutor Deddens praised the swift, coordinated response from law enforcement and casino staff, stating, “Due to this rapid action, a dangerous armed offender was quickly apprehended and critical evidence was preserved.” Deddens expressed relief that no innocent lives were lost in the course of the incident. Birdseye is set to be sentenced on August 4 at 10:15 a.m.
