Following an odd—and rather penny-ante—interaction with a bank teller late last week, authorities say a Florida man is now in jail.
Based on information provided by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, Michael Fleming, 41, is charged with one count of robbery without the use of a firearm.
However, it’s possible that was his original plan.
An arrest document states that the incident happened at a Chase Bank just before 2:00 p.m. near U.S. Route 441 in Lady Lake, a tiny town and suburb about 60 miles northwest of Orlando.
When the sheriff’s deputies came, the defendant was seated and waiting for them after they received a report regarding “an in-progress bank robbery.”
According to the affidavit, Fleming supposedly “entered the building” and “filled out a withdrawal slip” for one penny, which he then gave to the “bank teller at the window.”
“The defendant was told he could not be given $00.01, at which time he advised ‘so you want me to say the other word?,'” according to the court document. “The bank teller, in fear that violence was imminent, notified law enforcement.”
The individual was taken into custody without any problems, according to sheriff’s deputies, and he was subsequently taken to the sheriff’s office for a recorded interview during which he initialed and circled several places on a sheet that said “pre-printed Miranda Warnings” about giving up his constitutional rights.
After that, Fleming is said to have given the deputies his version of events, which included a few additional specifics than those given by the bank teller.
“The defendant advised he drove to the Citizens First Bank, but it was closed, so he then drove a few parking lots over to the Chase Bank,” as per the affidavit. “The defendant described walking into the bank, filled out a withdrawal slip for $00.01, provided it to the bank teller who advised we can’t give you one cent, at which time the defendant advised ‘So you want me to say the other word?’, at which time the bank teller had some kind of realization of what was taking place, and stepped away from the counter.”
Then Fleming is said to have abandoned the game.
He allegedly told his interrogators, “Most of the time, the way tellers are trained, if someone comes in to rob you, you give them the money and let them go.”
The small glitch occurred when the teller declined.
“The defendant advised he was expecting the bank teller to give him the $00.01, at which time he would then sit in the chair and wait for law enforcement. The defendant advised after not receiving anything from the teller, he just waited in the lobby for law enforcement to arrive. The defendant advised his goal was to be arrested.”
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Law enforcement continued by stating that Fleming does not have an account with Chase and that no money was taken during the purported robbery attempt.
According to the affidavit, the defendant has never been convicted of robbery before. The affidavit states that at first, he was held without bond.
Updates in the case since the arrest include the defendant being granted a court-appointed attorney and being declared destitute, according to Sumter County court documents.
The current amount of his bond, according to jail records, is $5,000.
