BELLEVILLE — A Georgia man has been sentenced to 49 years in prison following his conviction for an armed robbery that occurred at the Casino Queen in 2017. Daryl S. Muhammad, 48, of Marietta, Georgia, was found guilty of armed robbery and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon by a jury in November 2024.
On March 21, 2025, a St. Clair County judge sentenced Muhammad to 44 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the armed robbery charge, requiring him to serve 85% of that sentence. He received an additional five-year sentence for unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon.
The robbery took place on September 17, 2017, at approximately 2:55 a.m., when three men armed with rifles entered the Casino Queen. During the incident, an unarmed security guard was shot, and more than $47,000 was stolen. Following a thorough investigation, the Illinois State Police identified Muhammad in Cobb County, Georgia, leading to his arrest in January 2019.
St. Clair County State’s Attorney James Gomric expressed gratitude for the collaboration among law enforcement agencies, stating, “This type of behavior will not be tolerated in St. Clair County and this prosecution showed that.”
Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly commended the dedicated efforts of the special agents involved in the case, asserting that “justice has prevailed” with Muhammad’s sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft for the Southern District of Illinois emphasized the severity of the crime, calling it “a violent assault on the community with military-style rifles.” He noted the importance of cooperation between state and federal authorities in addressing violent crime.
The Illinois State Police led the investigation, with Special Assistant State’s Attorney John Trippi and Assistant State’s Attorney Alex Starnes handling the prosecution of the case.
