O.J. Simpson Arrested, Held Without Bail in Vegas Robbery

O.J. Simpson was arrested Sunday and ordered to be held without bail in connection with an alleged armed robbery involving sports memorabilia that took place Thursday night in a Las Vegas hotel, according to police in the gaming capital.

The former football star, 60, has been charged with two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit burglary and burglary with a firearm, said Las Vegas Police Capt. James Dillon at a press conference Sunday.

He is scheduled to be arraigned in Las Vegas at 8 a.m. on Wednesday.

Authorities apprehended Simpson shortly after 11 a.m. in his room at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas and brought him to a police office, Dillon had earlier told the Associated Press.

Simpson was booked in the Clark County Detention Center, said Dillon. (Watch video of Simpson being escorted out in handcuffs.) He was described as cooperative when he was initially taken by arresting officers from his hotel to the robbery section of the Las Vegas jail, the police captain added.

TMZ.com has posted an audio tape of Simpson’s alleged confrontation at the Palace Station Casino on the night in question. The site reports that the tape was recorded by Thomas Riccio, who co-owns the auction house Universal Rarities and took Simpson to the room. Once inside, Simpson immediately starts yelling and repeatedly says, “Think you can steal my s— and sell it?”

At a news conference Friday, Capt. Dillon said that Simpson had been contacted by Las Vegas authorities after he was named as a suspect in an armed robbery of “various sports-related products” at the Palace Station casino-hotel.

Earlier Friday, Simpson, speaking to the AP, said he had gone to the hotel room to collect memorabilia that belonged to him, but that he did not break into the premises. He said autographed sports collectibles, his Hall of Fame certificate, a photograph with former FBI director J. Edgar Hoover and video from his first wedding were all his, and that they were stolen from him and were about to be fenced by unethical collectors.

Simpson said it was merely a confrontation with no guns.

“We believe it is an extremely defensible case based on conflicting witness statements, flip-flopping by witnesses and witnesses making deals with the government to flip,” Simpson layer Yale Galanter told the AP of fighting the charges.

One other person was also arrested for a role in the alleged robbery, and four men are still being sought.

Dillon also said that two firearms and other evidence were seized at a private residence early Sunday.

On Saturday night, Walter Alexander, 46, of Mesa, Ariz., was arrested on two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery and burglary with a deadly weapon, said Dillon.

A conviction on the most serious charge, robbery with use of a deadly weapon, could bring Simpson a sentence of three to 35 years for each count, Clark County District Attorney David Roger told the AP.

In 1995 Simpson was acquitted of the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. Later, a civil jury held him liable for the killings in a wrongful death lawsuit. He has recently penned a controversial fictional book, which hit bookstores Friday, called If I Did It.

Sunday afternoon, Ron Goldman’s father, Fred Goldman, told CNN after being asked for his reaction to Simpson’s arrest, “I guess the obvious answer from me is, outstanding. If we’re lucky, if I’m lucky, he’ll go to jail. Unfortunately, it’s not for murder, though.”

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