Ronald Jones, one of three suspects who allegedly followed a man home from the newly-opened Columbus, Ohio Hollywood Casino and then committed a home invasion robbery at gunpoint appeared in a Franklin County Court Wednesday, January 9. Jones, like accomplice Ryan Bundy, was arraigned on charges of aggravated robbery. The judge set Jones’ bond at $250,000. A warrant has been issued for the third suspect Wendell Watkins.
David Hayes was awakened early in the morning of October 21 to find three men standing over his bed with a gun pointed at him.
Hayes had won $38,000 playing blackjack the night before at the Hollywood Casino, located at 200 Georgesville Rd. It is believed that Ronald Jones and accomplices Ryan Bundy who is also in custody and Wendell Watkins, who is still at large followed David Hayes home and broke into Hayes' home in suburban Westerville approximately two hours later. According to 10-TV, Jones allegedly wore a mask when he entered Hayes’ bedroom and demanded his winnings at gunpoint.
Video of Jones’ arrest was shown exclusively on Channel 6-ABC-TV. His wife Destiny is also shown on camera stating that her husband did not commit the robbery. She states that her husband was at the casino on the night that Hayes won the $38,000. She insists that he is innocent of the crime even though she was not at the casino with her husband and is apparently unable to account for his whereabouts at the time of the robbery.
Ronald Jones is shown on casino surveillance footage in the cashier line standing right behind David Hayes when Hayes collected his blackjack winnings.
Prosecutors may reveal at trial that it was Jones who posted the $100,000 bond for suspect Ryan Bundy. It is believed that part of that bond money came from the money stolen in the home invasion robbery.
Hayes said the casino staff gave him a manila folder to put his $38,000 winnings in, which Hayes said made him ‘stand out like a sore thumb.’
When a patron wins a large amount of money, casino staff are supposed to inform the winner of various options to collect the winnings. The winner may accept the entire amount in cash, may receive the winnings in the form of a check or the casino will hold the winnings for one day. This option may allow the winner to come back with another person along or to bring something unnoticeable that the winnings could be placed in, for instance. It was not immediately known if Hayes was informed of the options for collecting his winnings by staff at the Columbus Hollywood Casino. Hayes did indicate, however, that next time he plans to be more aware of who is around him. Hayes told 10-TV that ‘I’m happy to have my life.’
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