Inset left: Michael Fleming (Sumter County Sheriff’s Office); Main image: a Chase Bank in Lady Lake, Fla. (Google Maps)
A Florida man is behind bars after an unusual — and somewhat penny-ante — interaction with a bank teller late last week, authorities say.
Michael Fleming, 41, stands accused of one count of robbery with no firearm or weapon, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
But that may have been his plan all along.
The incident occurred just before 2 p.m. at a Chase Bank along U.S. Route 441 in Lady Lake, a small town and suburb some 60 miles northwest of Orlando, according to an arrest affidavit.
Sheriff’s deputies received a call about “an in-progress bank robbery” and arrived to find the defendant sitting down and waiting for them.
Fleming allegedly “entered the building” and “filled out a withdrawal slip” in the amount of one cent, which he then handed to the “bank teller at the window,” according to the affidavit.
“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?,”” the court document continues. “The bank teller, in fear that violence was imminent, notified law enforcement.”
Sheriff’s deputies say the man was arrested without incident and then transported to the sheriff’s office for a recorded interview where he initialed and circled several areas on a “pre-printed Miranda Warnings” form regarding the waiver of his constitutional rights.
Then, Fleming allegedly offered the deputies his version of events — adding a few more details than what the bank teller provided.
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“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,” the affidavit reads. “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 allegedly gave the game up.
“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,” he allegedly explained to his interrogators.
When the teller refused, however, the hiccup was slight.
“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 went on to note that no money was obtained during the alleged robbery attempt — and that Fleming does not have an account with Chase.
The affidavit says the defendant has no prior convictions for robbery.
He was originally detained on no bond, the affidavit says.
According to the Sumter County court records, several updates in the case have taken place since the arrest, including the defendant qualifying as indigent and being granted a court-appointed attorney.
His bond is currently set at $5,000, according to jail records.
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