Seven people have been arrested in connection with an assault and kidnapping that occurred last month at Red Hawk Casino in El Dorado County.
SWAT team members from the El Dorado, Sacramento and Stanislaus county sheriff's departments and the Folsom Police Department served search warrants at four locations Friday, seizing several guns, gang-related items, Ecstasy, marijuana and a large amount of money, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff's Department.
Lt. Bryan Golmitz said Saturday that those arrested had gang affiliations and were part of a group of men and women who confronted two men and a woman at the casino Oct. 14, asking them if they belonged to a Placerville gang.
The two men denied any gang affiliations, and investigators said they did not have gang ties.
One man from the larger group allegedly threatened to assault the woman in the smaller group. She responded by attacking the man.
When one of the men accompanying her tried to break up the fight, he was punched and hit with a beer bottle, authorities said.
Red Hawk security officers separated the groups.
Some members of the larger group later entered an elevator and confronted a woman who had not been involved in the first incident. They told her that she was going to get them out of the casino with her vehicle and they would release her once they were on the highway, authorities said.
The group allegedly forced that woman through the casino and into the parking garage, where she was able to get away from them.
She contacted casino security guards and then sheriff's deputies.
Sheriff's detectives used security video from the casino to identify six men involved in the alleged kidnapping.
Three men from Folsom were being held Saturday in El Dorado County jail in Placerville. Jesse Madrigal, 27, and Ricky Mora, 25, are accused of assault with a deadly weapon. Steven Santiago, 24, is accused of false imprisonment with violence.
Two other men, Ernie Lizotte and Stephen Lizotte, are from Riverbank in Stanislaus County. Ernie Lizotte, 23, was being held in Stanislaus County jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, battery and gang activity, according to records available Saturday on the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department Web site. Stephen Lizotte's name was not on the in-custody list, and his age was not available.
Golmitz said two other people connected with the incident were arrested in Sacramento County, but their identities were not available Saturday.
The casino staff referred calls for comment Saturday to Chicago-based public relations representatives who could not be reached.
Golmitz said the El Dorado County Sheriff's Department has a good working relationship with Red Hawk's security staff.
"They're very professional" he said. "They have a good system over there."
He said the average patron is no more likely to encounter gang activity at the casino than at any other entertainment venue.
Call The Bee's Cathy Locke, (916) 773-6866.
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