LAS VEGAS – A Henderson resident, Michael Joseph Kasper, 34, is headed to federal prison for nearly four years after a violent confrontation with casino security in December 2021. Kasper was sentenced on April 10, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Cristina D. Silva to 46 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The incident escalated when Kasper opened fire on a security guard.
The trouble began when casino security suspected Kasper of attempting to cash a fraudulent check. When guards attempted to detain him, Kasper resisted, initiating a physical altercation. During the scuffle, court documents show, Kasper pulled a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and fired twice, injuring one of the security guards. This wasn’t Kasper’s first brush with the law; he already had prior felony convictions in Clark County, making firearm possession illegal for him.
This federal sentence isn’t the only time Kasper will answer for his actions. He previously pleaded guilty in Clark County to one count of battery with use of a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm related to the shooting of the security guard. However, Judge Silva ordered this 46-month federal sentence to run consecutive to another substantial prison term Kasper is already serving.
That additional sentence stems from unrelated criminal conduct in Lincoln County, Nevada. Kasper was convicted of three counts of battery by a prisoner upon a first responder, and received a lengthy 108 to 432 months in prison for those offenses. This means Kasper is facing a potential total of years behind bars, adding up to a significant stretch for the repeat offender.
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Acting Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) jointly announced the sentencing. The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the ATF, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Bianca Pucci leading the prosecution.
The case was prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program focused on reducing violent crime. Authorities encourage anyone with information about illegal firearms activity to contact the ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867) or utilize the ReportIt mobile app. This case highlights the serious consequences of combining a criminal history with illegal firearm possession and violent behavior.
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