Woman charged in casino robbery pleads not guilty

The Bigfork woman who allegedly robbed Jackpot Casino at gunpoint last November entered not guilty pleas to felony charges of robbery and criminal possession of dangerous drugs Friday morning at Flathead County District Court. Samantha Lee Starks is currently being held on a $100,000 bond.

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a robbery at 9:26 a.m. on Nov. 12 from the casino manager who alleged that a woman pulled a gun on her and asked for the manager’s apron, which contained keys to the store and Golden Gaming gambling machines. During the incident, the thief reportedly raised her eyebrow at the casino manager and gave her a look that said, “don’t make me do this,” according to dispatch logs. According to an amended information filed Jan. 13, Starks was also allegedly in possession of methamphetamine.

Law enforcement canvassed the area around the casino following the initial report, with assistance from a Two Bear Air helicopter, which employed heat-sensing technology to search for the subject from the air. Reports of an individual matching the subject’s description led responders to Marina Cay Resort, but that person turned out not to be a match.

The sheriff’s office received a number of tips from members of the public in the weeks following the incident and arrested Starks on Dec. 10. Starks was interviewed about the robbery and allegedly admitted to being involved in the crime, according to the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.

For the count of felony robbery, Starks faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in state prison and a $50,000 fine. The defendant could also face up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine if found guilty of possessing methamphetamine.

An omnibus hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. April 1 with a pre-trial conference to follow at 9:30 a.m. on April 15. ¦