Crime doesn't pay. But getting thrown in jail can sure defray some of the costs of living.
One Indiana man was willing to do anything to get these prison "benefits."
Homeless man Edward Hammer-Perez, 33, of Lake County, assaulted a woman in St. Joseph, Michigan, in November 2007, reports NWITimes.com. He allegedly pulled her out of her car, grabbed her head, and pulled her hair.
Hammer-Perez then reportedly stopped the assault and told the woman to call police.
When officers arrived, Hammer-Perez told them he had intended to kill the woman, say police.
"He advised he is homeless and has committed misdemeanors in the past, but now he needs to commit a murder so he can go to prison. ... He stated South Bend (Ind.) P.D. (Police Department) never took him seriously, so he needed to commit a more serious crime so he could go to prison," according to police records.
See? Problem solved!
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Thanks to his guilty plea to assault with intent to murder, Hammer-Perez will be guaranteed shelter and meals for the next 40 to 80 years, reports NWITimes.com.
Lake County Sheriff Dominguez said the idea certainly isn't a new one, though most homeless offenders usually commit less severe crimes.
Social services are available, but "some people feel the only place to get some help is in the jails," Dominguez told NWITimes.com.
Do the crime. Do the time. Beds and meds for not a dime!
Matt Bartosik is a Chicago native and a social media sovereign.
