Overland Park felon found unfit for trial in Las Vegas robberies

LAS VEGAS – A 34-year-old Kansas felon has been declared psychologically unfit for trial in federal court in the July armed robberies of a Las Vegas Strip casino cashier and a bank.

Trial was canceled Friday for Scott Alan Carmitchel on charges of interference with commerce by robbery at the Bellagio and armed robbery of a City National Bank branch.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Carmitchel was ordered to remain in federal custody for mental health treatment and another psychological examination.

U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware in Las Vegas scheduled a March 3 status check in the case.

Carmitchel was released from a Kansas prison in December.

He’s accused of spending nearly $50,000 from the July 25 Bellagio heist and the July 22 bank robbery on prostitutes and a shopping spree.

Carmitchel, formerly of Overland Park, served prison time in Kansas for battery against a law officer and a 1998 robbery, and he returned to prison a year ago for making a criminal threat.

No one was hurt in the Las Vegas robberies. Police said Carmitchel displayed what may have been a toy or replica handgun before making off with $43,500 in the Bellagio heist and $4,355 in the bank robbery.

Police say he spent some money on prostitutes and a shopping spree before he was arrested late July 26 in a hotel room at the Hard Rock hotel-casino.

Carmitchel has been uncooperative with Las Vegas police and Clark County jail guards, and he appeared in restraints in court with a spit mask around his face.

He was paroled in December. Kansas Department of Corrections records said he disappeared in May.

This story was originally published November 24, 2014 at 10:40 AM with the headline "Overland Park felon found unfit for trial in Las Vegas robberies."