Society's Child
Ocala, Florida - A Central Florida judge has sentenced a 21-year-old homeless man to 180 days in jail for stealing $2 worth of candy.
Delvis Rodriguez-Ramos, already on probation for theft, pleaded guilty Wednesday to taking Twix and Snickers bars from an Ocala store.
An employee noticed the candy missing Saturday. Rodriguez-Ramos denied taking the candy, but returned to the store Monday and confessed.
The employee asked him to come back Tuesday to talk about it. When Rodriguez-Ramos showed up, the employee called police.
Rodriguez-Ramos said he had not eaten in a few days and was hungry.
But Futch asked why Rodriguez-Ramos didn't try to find a job or seek help from a homeless shelter. Futch also fined him $500.
Source: The Associated Press
Reader Comments
Dumb for the store for not wanting to give a helping hand to the homeless, I've owned such a store before and always understood the need of any homeless person in my area.
Dumb for the Judge to impose a $500 fine that will never be paid and/or the 180 jail time which will cost the county a lot more than it would cost them to just give the homeess man a helping hand in order that he may get back on his own two feet.
Dumb for most of us to think the homeless man got what he deserved rather than offer our own helping hand.
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Having lived in Florida, I can attest to the disproportionate punishments meted out there. 250 times the value of the stolen item sounds typical. It is a crime to be poor in Florida. As for homeless shelters, they are full. And don't try to shelter yourself.
The USA creates homelessness by refusing to let the poor make temporary shelters. In South America, when the population explosion took place, barrios sprang up made of all sorts of refuse. As the people worked there way through life they upgraded until the Barrios are nothing like that now.
Time for revolution yet??
Well he got free room and board for 180 days.
Also, I am getting sick of people saying 'just get a job', they obviously are out of touch with the current economic situation when it comes to that statement...they obviously have NO family or friends that are in a situation where they've lost their job and are finding it VERY difficult to find ANY employment. Total lack of empathy or understanding.