COLUMBUS, Ohio - A man who couldn't find steady work came up with a plan to make it through the next few years until he could collect Social Security: He robbed a bank, then handed the money to a guard and waited for police.

On Wednesday, Timothy J. Bowers told a judge a three-year prison sentence would suit him, and the judge obliged.

"At my age, the jobs available to me are minimum-wage jobs. There is age discrimination out there," Bowers, who turns 63 in a few weeks, told Judge Angela White.

The judge told him: "It's unfortunate you feel this is the only way to deal with the situation."Bowers said he had been able to find only odd jobs after the drug wholesaler he made deliveries for closed in 2003. He walked to a bank and handed a teller a note demanding cash in an envelope. The teller gave him four $20 bills and pushed a silent alarm.

Bowers handed the money to a security guard standing in the lobby and told him it was his day to be a hero.

He pleaded guilty to robbery, and a court-ordered psychological exam found him competent.

"It's a pretty sad story when someone feels that's their only alternative," said defense attorney Jeremy W. Dodgion, who described Bowers as "a charming old man."

Prosecutors had considered arguing against putting Bowers in prison at taxpayer expense, but they worried he would do something more reckless to be put behind bars.

"It's not the financial plan I would choose, but it's a financial plan," prosecutor Dan Cable said.



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15240979/

I'm surprised something like this doesn't disqualify him for SS.
At the very least, the judge should have ordered some sort of repayment of the expense to the tax payers for his stupidity.
I don't buy the "I can't find a job" bit. Yes, there is age discrimination. It sucks, it happens to people young and old, but only the old are legally protected. Not saying that it doesn't still happen. If he was a driver for all those years and had a good safety record, he should be a shoe in, even if the employer knew that he was going to be leaving in three years, the trucking industry is very competitive because drivers are hard to find and keep.
Oh, and jail is no place for a soon to be senior.

he should have planned for four years so he could get a college degree while he was up the river

isn't ohio experiencing economic difficulties?lancaster is a wealthy area and sometimes we tend to think everyone else everywhere else has it as good as we do.

it's pretty bad that an old guy wants to go to prison rather than deal with the struggle of life in "the greatest country in the world".

...and, social security payments begin at 62.