Man Arrested After $20,000 Casino Loss Sparks Bomb Threat at Harrah’s in Stateline
A South Lake Tahoe man was arrested early Tuesday after allegedly threatening to bomb Harrah’s Casino in Stateline, Nevada, authorities said. Investigators say the threat followed a reported $20,000 gambling loss. Seth Maybee faces charges of making a bomb threat and making terroristic threats.
Deputies from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office responded to Harrah’s Casino at approximately 9:50 p.m. Monday after casino security reported receiving a bomb threat by phone.
“Yeah, I just lost over $20,000 at your stupid casino, and I am going to destroy it now,” Maybee stated in the call, according to police. “I am going to bomb it. This is a bomb threat.”
Investigators traced the call to Maybee’s South Lake Tahoe residence. The South Lake Tahoe Police Department located and arrested him at approximately 1:43 a.m. Tuesday.
Because the alleged threat targeted a Nevada casino while the suspect was located in California, Maybee was booked into the El Dorado County Jail. He is awaiting extradition to Douglas County to face charges.
Authorities said there were no injuries. They added that a search of the property did not result in the discovery of an explosive device.
History of the 1980 Harvey’s Bombing
Douglas County Sheriff Dan Coverley thanked Harrah’s Casino and the South Lake Tahoe Police Department for their response. He referenced the area’s history with a 1980 bombing that made authorities take such threats seriously.
The Harvey’s Resort Hotel bombing occurred on August 26-27, 1980, at the neighboring casino now known as Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe.
John Birges Sr. planted a device containing approximately 1,200 pounds of dynamite after losing a significant amount due to his gambling addiction. He attempted to extort $3 million from the casino.
The bomb ultimately detonated, causing an estimated $18 million in damage but no injuries or deaths. Birges Sr. died in prison at age 74 in 1996.
“Due to the history of the Harvey’s bombing in the early 1980s, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Stateline casinos take these threats very seriously,” Coverley stated. “Fortunately, we were able to make an arrest before anything happened.”
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