Homeless man gets 15 years for stealing cereal, milk

He's not homeless anymore. He's getting a place to sleep and three meals a day for the next 15 years, with time off for good behaviour.

I only wish it was at hard labor, so he could maybe contribute something to society.

We should make sure this guy gets treatment for his alcohol abuse and an education.

Key words -- long criminal record. The fact that he rejected a plea deal probably means he's more comfortable behind bars, where he has free access to things people who obey the law have to pay for.

Looks like he got what he wanted. Fifteen years of 3-squares, a roof over his head, free health care... these days, that's like hitting the lottery!

Oh, and Maddad... I knew you were back when I saw my tracker count had doubled overnight... :-) you're off to a good start on #5,000...

:-)

JUDGE NOT LESS YE BE JUDGED !

Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.

JUDGE NOT LESS YE BE JUDGED !

Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.

Absolutely ridiculous. Our justice system is way too over righteous. This man shouldve been helped, put in a rehabilitation program, not prison. I hope his sentence is overturned one day. It is cruel and unusual punishment. Especially for stealing food. He probably was hungry. If I was the clerk, I wouldn't have called the cops. I wouldve bought the food for him. LOL. And fyi, this is not funny. Prison should be reserved for violent offenders. This right here is the reason why there is so much prison overcrowding. I want my tax dollars to lock up a murderer, rapist, molester. Not someone who is hungry. Don't ask us sensible taxpayers for more money to fund all these tax increases. And I don't want to contribute to any more jails or prisons. This man is lost to society. And we answer that by locking him up. 15 years. He may as well have robbed a bank. Way to go America!

This kind of crap is why America has the highest percentage of people in the criminal justice system of any country in the history of the world.  We also have the world's only for-profit criminal justice system.  Frankly, I'd suspect the judge is being paid by the local prison on a per-year basis for everyone he puts in.  There are now 9 judges who have been caught doing exactly that.  We have the harshest criminal justice system in the world and the absolute worst at the recidivist rate because Americans won't ever let a convicted felon recover.  We guarantee the sentence is long enough to destroy any family and social ties, then release them with no money, no hope and no changes to go straight.  Like this guy, eventually they get hungry.  This guy should have robbed a bank instead of stealing food, he'd have been better off.  Think about that.  We give them no chance and then blame them.

I live close by a convenience store that has been robbed many times, but one really takes the proverbial cake: a man just released from prison two days before robs this store with a steak knife in front of twenty or so witnesses. he made no threats to any of the other customers, just waved the knife at the clerk, took the money, strolled outside and waited for the cops. It later became known that it was his third wiolent felony; he knew what he was going to get. To me, THAT is an habitual criminal; not some homeless alky.

I feel for the man and with regards to the prison system, I don't understand why when someone has committed a crime, did the time, they're still forever penalized. That is why prison is a revolving door. The systems sets the offender up for failure. Whatever happened to real justice and empathy for crimes that are so obviously not intended to hurt anyone? Stealing food because you're hungry and getting 15 years for it is not right. I don't know all the details, but it seems that this man may not have understood what was going on. Many homeless have mental illness and alcohol dependency issues. America has the smallest percentage of the world's population, but the highest percentage rate of incarceration. This is ludicrous.

I don't know whether to feel sorry for him or be outraged that he hasn't done anything to help himself and has committed 50 crimes even if they are petty. 15 years is a bit much. My cousin is a habitual car prowler, he has probably has been busted for petty larceny at least 50 times and he has probably done 15 years in total for all of his crimes..

Why feel sorry for this guy? When he rejected a plea deal he knew what he would get. His record would get him 3 meals a day,free medical care & a life of being taken care of( at taxpayers expense of course). This guy is no dummy!

i have worked full time for the last 30 years (since i was 16) i can barely make ends meet every month. never written a bad check, never made a late payment, but i have always given money to pontiac rescue mission, mercy home for boys and girls, etc.. so if this guy needed a meal or a place to stay there are many places available to help. so now the taxes i pay (to which i might add i didnt get that tax cut osama promised during his campaign) will support him for 15 years. while me and my family do without. what a country!

In Florida, he will have to complete 85% of his 15 year sentence and really its a step up for him. He will have stable residence, healthy food (I've eaten it, its not that bad and the biscuits are really good) medical and dental care and access to drug and other programs. The cardboard box he was sleeping in will be sold back to Bank of America to be relisted by Century 21 later and he will take a hit doing the short sale, but such is life.

Private prison corporate dudes, all over the United States, are doing handstands over this one! Every time they fill one up, the government lets them build one more. They have the cost of a meal down to $.50 now and it is pure slop.

Take out the minor drug offenses and the homeless guy and free up some space for real criminals and pay the guards a living age and it will be much better.

By now, he is not homeless and doesn't have to steal 3x a day for Free 15 years!

I was just talking about this with a friend of mine last week. If I was homeless with NO other options (no family, no "get back on your feet" program) just nothing?...... I'd start stealing stuff. If I get away with it, I have stuff now! If I get caught... go to jail and get the setup this guy has.

Smart man, no longer homeless and will get 3 meals a day and clean clothes all for the next 15 years. Who said our justice system doesn't work.

Only in America can you get rewarded for stealing, well at least in this case.

geez. stoopid.

Well at least he'll have a place to live and something to eat without having to beg for it.

Like most things in a Capital Society, the prison and justice system are about as corrupt as you can get. The prisons in Florida get money from the Feds for each person they lock up. Florida is by far the most backward and corrupt state I have ever been in with their Sheriff Squads that make Barney Fife look like a genius. You can kill someone and get out in 5 to 7 years, but steal food, sell drugs or look at a Sheriff's donut and your gone for life! What a country America has become!