(Lawrenceburg, IN) – Sentencing for Daniel Birdseye has been delayed.
He was found guilty in May by jurors in Dearborn Circuit Court of Kidnapping; Criminal Confinement with a Deadly Weapon (both Level 3 felonies), and three counts of Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon (Level 5 felony).
The charges stemmed from the March 2024 armed robbery at Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg.
The 42-year-old Birdseye, who is from Cincinnati, pled guilty on the first day of the trial to Robbery While Armed with a Deadly Weapon (Level 3 felony).
He was acquitted on one count of Criminal Confinement While Armed with a Deadly Weapon, and of one count of Intimidation While Armed with a Deadly Weapon.
The guilty verdicts came down after a four-day trial coming from what is believed to be the first prosecuted casino robbery in Indiana.
Birdseye was accused of pulling out a 9 mm handgun on a Hollywood Casino employee and demanding money from the casino cage area.
Testimony and surveillance footage indicated Birdseye threatened employees with the firearm, forced them into secured areas, stole large amounts of cash, and used an employee as a hostage while escorting him from the casino.
Birdseye was taken into custody shortly after the incident in the nearby Oxbow area and housed in the Dearborn County Law Enforcement Center.
At this week’s sentencing hearing, a Dearborn County Sheriff’s deputy testified that Birdseye was suicidal and placed in a padded cell, per jail protocol.
He then requested to use the restroom.
Birdseye was seen in a video shown in court resisting jail officers, who were trying to get him back in the padded cell.
He was later seen in the video throwing punches at deputies.
According to testimony, Birdseye has been a more compliant inmate since then.
Before the sentence was handed down, what’s being called “contradictory evidence” was presented.
Judge Aaron Negangard is taking that evidence under advisement.
Sentencing is now scheduled for September 8.
Previous story:
Man Convicted in Casino Robbery
Accused Casino Robber “Desperate and in Debt”
Casino Armed Robbery Suspect Arrested
