What to Expect from Mohegan Sun Criminal Charges
Mohegan Sun arrests are made by the Mohegan Sun Tribal Police. The Mohegan Sun Tribal Police is a newly-appointed law enforcement authority consisting of approximately 25 sworn police officers who receive the same training as other law enforcement officials throughout Connecticut, and have formal arresting power.
After someone is arrested and charges have been filed for a Mohegan Sun arrest, the arrested individual is ordered to report to Norwich Superior Court. In the case of a serious charge, such as a felony, the charge may be transferred to the Part A docket of Mohegan Sun’s jurisdiction, which is in New London. However, all charges that stem from Mohegan Sun will first go to Norwich Superior Court.
- DUIs and DWIs
- Drug trafficking
- Prostitution, or patronizing prostitution
- Larceny
- Human trafficking
- Sexual assault
- Questionable gambling tactics
Nuances of Charges that Take Place in a Casino
Facing misdemeanor or felony charges that stem from an incident at the Casino is the same thing as facing charges from an offense that took place elsewhere, except that most other places do not have Tribal Police enforcing local laws. The Mohegan Tribe and reservation are officially recognized by the state of Connecticut, and in the same way that most cities and towns have their own police departments, the Mohegan Sun Tribal Police act in the same capacity, enabling officers to make arrests which fall under Connecticut law.
The typical charges that stem from the Mohegan Sun Casino are generally related to offenses that can be connected back to behaving in excess. These charges include, but are not limited to,
This kind of excessive partying can also frequently be linked to drug possession, including possession of marijuana, cocaine, or narcotics, among others.
When individuals behave too aggressively with Mohegan Sun security, they can be charged with interfering with a peace officer, interfering with the police, breach of peace, or disorderly conduct. In the event of a domestic violence related crime, which can also be prevalent at the Casino, the charge will generally be handled the next business morning in Norwich.
Process of Being Charged at Mohegan Sun
The first thing that usually happens as part of a Mohegan Sun arrest, is that the defendant is approached by security. Unlike other places in Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is very unique in that there is a surveillance system called the ‘eye in the sky.’ This high-tech video surveillance network is designed to capture everything that happens in public areas of the Casino grounds. With the exception of hotel rooms, this means cutting-edge technology is being used to ensure that there is constant recording of the parking lots, roads, hotel common areas, restaurants, bars, and any public space within the Mohegan Sun property.
This means that Mohegan Sun security can easily and efficiently apprehend anyone that they have seen cheating or committing any kind of crime, and have the right to detain that person until a Mohegan Sun Tribal officer arrives. Whether it is a security guard or a Mohegan Sun Tribal Police officer, a person has the right to remain silent, which is what the top Norwich or Mohegan Sun criminal lawyers will advise. Any person in question should refrain from speaking to the police until they have had the chance to consult with a Mohegan Sun lawyer.
It is critical that a person not make any incriminating statements, and is equally important to make sure that the person does not lie to the supervising officers before having the chance to talk to a lawyer to ensure that they do not say anything that could lead to an arrest or create further issues with their criminal case.
Mohegan Sun Tribal Police
In the case of a serious issue, Connecticut State Troopers and Norwich police officers can be called to assist Tribal Police officers, but it is the Tribal Police who have jurisdiction over the Casino.
The Mohegan Sun Tribal Police have an entire police department on the reservation, so oftentimes, when there is a disturbance that qualifies as a Casino issue, they will bring the individual involved to a side room at the police station. The Tribal Police have interrogation rooms and processing rooms on the premises, but by virtue of being a fully functional police department, there is a jail cell in which a person can be detained and held overnight while the police process their charges and give the person a summons before taking them to Norwich Superior Court the next business morning.