Detectives fit tips together for break in United Coin heist

Metro Police are crediting good detective work and a lot of patience in the arrests of three men wanted in connection with the $1.6 million robbery of United Coin Co. in 1997.

"We got information in small bits and pieces over a long period of time. It came to us in the form of 100 little spoonfuls, and it took good detective work to put it all together," Sgt. Larry Duis said of the investigation of the Dec. 28, 1997, robbery.

The investigation began to focus on ex-employees of United Coin, a slot machine route operator, and a key tip came in through Secret Witness, Duis said.

Other Metro detectives are crediting a tip from the syndicated television show "America's Most Wanted" as the break in the case.

Police said the tip led detectives to former United Coin employee Kathryn Toledo, 55. A search warrant served at Toledo's home netted detectives the names of Richard and Fain Gonce of Quemado, N.M., about 150 miles southwest of Albuquerque, and Eric Zessman of Pahrump, police said.

On Thursday search and arrest warrants were issued in Pahrump and Quemado.

In Pahrump, police said they recovered $200,000 in cash, gold and seized property, as well as evidence linking Zessman, 44, to the Gonce brothers. In New Mexico, Metro detectives joined with the New Mexico State Police and the Catron County sheriff's office to recover $400,000 in cash, silver, property and weapons from the Gonce brothers' trailer, police said.

Fain Gonce, 63, and Richard Gonce, 59, were booked in New Mexico on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery with a deadly weapon, burglary with a deadly weapon, two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon and two counts of kidnapping. Arrangements were being made to return the brothers to Las Vegas, police said.

Zessman is facing charges of conspiracy to commit robbery with a deadly weapon, burglary with a deadly weapon and two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon.

The robbery took place in the early morning hours when two men in ski masks and jumpsuits confronted a security guard and two female employees, who were smoking outside of United Coin at 600 Pilot Road. All three were forced into the building, where one gunman stood guard over them while the other stuffed large-denomination bills into two duffel bags.

The two men then fled in a pickup truck driven by a third suspect, police said.

Police may also file charges against Toledo. The investigation is continuing to uncover additional suspects and recover more stolen property, police said.

archive