In court on Tuesday, a 71-year-old man claimed to have committed bank robbery because he would rather be behind bars than at home with his wife. He attributed his actions to sadness.
Lawrence John Ripple, who stole a bank in Kansas City, was given a sentence of three years of probation and six months of home confinement by a federal judge, according to the Kansas City Star.
In September 2016, Ripple made news when he got into a fight with his wife, told her he’d rather be in jail, and demanded money from a bank teller, all while waiting for the cops to show up in the lobby.
In court, Ripple, who entered a guilty plea in January, acknowledged that following a quadruple bypass heart operation in 2015, he had depression.
According to court records, on September 2, 2016, Ripple left a note for a bank teller in Kansas City that said, “I have a gun, give me money.”
According to the police report, Ripple told a guard he was the “guy he was looking for” while sitting in the bank lobby after the teller handed over $2,924 ($6,688.21 FJD).
According to an FBI agent, Ripple had an earlier argument with his wife and had written her that he would “rather be in jail than at home.”
Chekasha Ramsey, his lawyer, referred to Ripple’s activities as a “cry for help” and cited Ripple’s spotless record before the bank heist.
Ramsey requested leniency in a case that was backed by federal prosecutors, pointing to Ripple’s health and regret.
Judge Carlos Murguia of the US District Court granted the request and sentenced Ripple to a meagre six months of house arrest. The 71-year-old might spend 37 months behind bars.
In addition, Ripple must perform 50 hours of community service and three years of supervised probation. In addition, the judge mandated that he reimburse the bank and a crime victims fund in excess of $300.
The things we do to escape the Mrs.
