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Man Convicted of Plot to Use Bomb in Tahoe Casino Extortion

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United Press International

A Fresno man has been convicted of masterminding a plot to extort $3 million from a Lake Tahoe casino by planting a bomb that exploded and caused $12 million in damage.

A Nevada district court jury Thursday found John Birges Sr. guilty on eight of nine counts. He was acquitted of a charge of damaging a building with explosives.

Birges faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. He already is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for convictions on similar charges.

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Birges and his accomplices were accused of building a bomb in Fresno, taking it to Lake Tahoe and placing it in Harvey’s Wagon Wheel casino in August, 1980.

They demanded a $3-million ransom but the attempt to pay it failed when a helicopter pilot could not find the location for the drop. The bomb exploded after efforts to disarm it failed. No one was injured, but it caused $12 million in damage.

Birges, considered a “high roller” at the casino, said a person called “Charlie” forced him to plant the bomb in the casino as repayment of $60,000 for gaming loans. He said this was to allow Harvey Gross, the late owner of the casino, to collect $50 million in insurance when the hotel was destroyed.

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Three of Birges’ accomplices in the case were sentenced earlier. Another defendant, Ella J. Williams, was ordered to trial July 29. Her first trial ended in a hung jury last month.

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