The accused mastermind of the largest casino heist in Riverside County history modeled his plot after the movie "Ocean's 11," his attorney said as the man's trial started Monday.

But Rolando Luda Ramos was no Danny Ocean, the leader of the movie mob, said attorney Richard Briones-Colman.

Ramos, 27, and his accused getaway driver, Eric Alan Magdaleno Aguilera, 25, are charged with orchestrating the theft of $1.5 million from the Soboba Indian Casino on Aug. 2, 2007.

Their attorneys said they won't argue that the men robbed the casino. The only debate is whether tying up three surveillance agents in the next room amounts to kidnapping for robbery, they said.

Those three charges against both men are the only counts being contested in the trial. Guilty verdicts could carry life sentences. They also are charged with 10 other felonies, including robbery, burglary, false imprisonment and taking more than $1 million.

The case is being tried with two juries in a French Valley courtroom.

"These were not strangers. This was an inside job," said Deputy District Attorney Lori Ronce.

His attorney described Ramos as "a nerdy guy who makes dumb jokes" and had watched "Ocean's 11" about 50 times before the heist. He had joked with Aguilera about hatching such a robbery while working as a security guard and surveillance technician, processing millions of dollars daily, Briones-Colman said.

The Heist

The day of the robbery, Ramos went into the casino's security trailer about 4 a.m., two hours before his shift, while Aguilera drove around the casino waiting for his phone call, Ronce said.

Ramos went to the surveillance room and invited a friend to a back room to talk. He pepper-sprayed the man and bound him with duct tape, Ronce said.

He ordered another man and a woman into another room while armed with a plastic gun. He taped them back to back against a pole, then leaned down and kissed the woman, saying "I always liked you."

Briones-Colman said binding the three guards took less than a minute. Since they were moved only 15 feet as part of a robbery scheme, it didn't constitute kidnapping, he argued.

"This is only about if a kidnapping occurred here," Briones-Colman said. "Most of the facts we agree on, but the law shows there was no kidnapping here."

With the surveillance team tied up, Ramos went with two security guards to the casino vault. He pretended to fix a camera, then waved the plastic gun and announced the robbery, Ronce said.

He ordered the two guards and five vault workers into a corner and put more than $1.5 million into a duffle bag.

"The plan took nerve, not particular brains to take the money. That's why he did it," Briones-Colman said. "Witnesses didn't think it was real. He was persuasive enough and the security guards were not that eager to stop it. He couldn't believe he made it out the door."

The getaway

Ramos called Aguilera and ran to the waiting vehicle, Ronce said. The two drove to a Motel 6 in Palm Springs to divide the money. Ramos got about $800,000 and Aguilera about $500,000.

Aguilera took Ramos to San Bernardino. Ramos was caught by police two days after the heist in a hotel room near Los Angeles International Airport with the $800,000 in cash. He was wearing a wig, high on cocaine and carrying a passport, police reports said. He later confessed, Ronce said.

Aguilera confessed after his cash was found at his mother's house in Hemet, said his attorney, James Bender.

Two other accessories pleaded guilty about a month later. Aguilera's girlfriend, Sonya Marie Boyorquez, and Ricky Davis Aban, who drove with the men, each was sentenced to 180 days in Riverside County jail.

Reach John Asbury at 951-763-3451 or jasbury@PE.com