Walter Unbehaun just wanted to go “home.” There was one problem: home for the 74-year-old man was a prison cell. He solved that problem by robbing a bank of $4,178. He will now spend another 3.5 years in prison.
In February, Unbehaun robbed a Harris Bank branch just outside Chicago, and during the arrest he conveyed to authorities he just wanted to go “home.” He said he “wanted to go back as he felt more comfortable in prison than out,” the Chicago Tribune reported.
Before his sentencing, Unbehaun, who suffers from dementia, had second thoughts about his homecoming plan.
“I’ve had a heck of a life, okay?” he told U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman, the Tribune reported. “But I don’t want to die in prison.”
The judge had none of it.
“This is not the first time you’ve inspired fear and caused a very dangerous situation for people,” she replied, noting that he has a long history of crimes, including violent offenses.
When Unbehaun was arrested in a North Chicago motel days after the robbery, police found a loaded handgun, a box of .32 caliber cartridges and $3,476 in cash in the room, the Tribune reported.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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