Police: Bank robber wanted $1 and a trip to prison
NORTHERN CAMBRIA, Pa. (AP) - A man tried to rob a Pennsylvania bank of $1 because he hoped to be sent to a federal prison nearby, police said.
Jeffrey McMullen, a 50-year-old regular customer of an AmeriServ bank in the western Pennsylvania town of Northern Cambria, handed notes to two tellers Friday demanding a dollar, according to a police complaint reported by The Tribune-Democrat of Johnstown.
The tellers thought it was a joke, police said. He then spoke with a new accounts employee and repeated he was robbing the bank for a buck.
Police say McMullen apparently wanted to be prosecuted federally so he could be taken to a prison in central Pennsylvania. Police could not immediately say why.
McMullen awaits a preliminary hearing, and court records didn't list an attorney. Under terms set by a Northern Cambria district judge, he must undergo a mental evaluation and post $50,000 bail in order to win release from jail.
One note given to tellers said, "FBI custody. Preferbly (sic) Loretto Pa. No press. Seal all files," according to the complaint. Police took that to be a request that McMullen hoped authorities would not publicize his case. The other said, "Federal bank robbery. Please hand over $1.00."
Jeffrey McMullen, a 50-year-old regular customer of an AmeriServ bank in the western Pennsylvania town of Northern Cambria, handed notes to two tellers Friday demanding a dollar, according to a police complaint reported by The Tribune-Democrat of Johnstown.
The tellers thought it was a joke, police said. He then spoke with a new accounts employee and repeated he was robbing the bank for a buck.
Police say McMullen apparently wanted to be prosecuted federally so he could be taken to a prison in central Pennsylvania. Police could not immediately say why.
McMullen awaits a preliminary hearing, and court records didn't list an attorney. Under terms set by a Northern Cambria district judge, he must undergo a mental evaluation and post $50,000 bail in order to win release from jail.
One note given to tellers said, "FBI custody. Preferbly (sic) Loretto Pa. No press. Seal all files," according to the complaint. Police took that to be a request that McMullen hoped authorities would not publicize his case. The other said, "Federal bank robbery. Please hand over $1.00."
Goto jail! Don't pass go!
If he wanted to go to federal prison he should have made death threats against the president. That'll get the FBI on your case real fast.
The funny thing about this is that I remember reading a story of a similar crime in another state not terribly long ago where the robber had ended up screwing up and demanding a sum that was too small, or some other technicality, that meant that he didn't get sent where he wanted to be sent or get the sentence he wanted, because his crime wasn't serious enough (he'd done it the way he did so as not to scare or hurt anyone, if I remember right). I wouldn't be surprised if something similar happened here, or if the courts get too suspicious of his request for a specific prison and send him to a different one.
I met a guy once who had spent most of his life in Montana state prison for various robbery crimes. He was 70yrs. old and had just gotten out. He was sick,  broke, homeless, lonely, had no medical insurance and wished he could go back and see his friends, get free cigarettes, a place to sleep and hot food. That's the only thing he knew.
I had an uncle that was a county sheriff (in Iowa) for over thirty years. He would tell stories about several people that would commit some small infraction to get sentenced to the county jail for thirty to ninety days about this time of year. They were looking for three hots and a cot, nothing more.
Well, either he's mentally ill or he's trying to secretly get in touch with someone in prision. Kinda like that Batman episode where the Penguin tried to get arrested so he can get in touch with a forger named "Ballpoint" Baxter in the next cell. Any Bat fans remember that? :)
 @Zoso possibly he is physically ill, and has no insurance, or he is broke and homeless-or going to be. That has happened before.
 @Zoso Most of these kinds of goobers love being the prison PRAG....
 @Zoso I think he wanted to go back in addition for his love connection...
I guess federal prison meals are top notch and highly in demand...
 @Howbouthat Yes, where else can you get mommy and daddy prison guards to take care of you along with next to free healthcare... happens all the time.
 @Funky-Munky  @Howbouthat Free food, rent, health care, cable, A/C.  Aren't they even giving free sex changes now?