George Jolicoeur (Police handout) |
FLORIDA -- A 600-pound man arrested for scamming restaurants for free food won't have to go to jail... because he's too fat.
Prosecutors offered George Jolicoeur, 38, a plea deal because the cost of the medical care he requires made it too expensive to incarcerate him.
Jolicoeur scammed restaurants and stores by ordering food and then complaining about the quality and refusing to pay for it.
Police said he once drank five milkshakes at a restaurant and then complained the milk was "off" and refused to pay.
He was arrested in 2007 after he ate nearly $50 of beef jerky from a 7-Eleven, then left without paying because he said some of it was moldy.
On his way to the police station, according to the police report, Jolicoeur told the officer, "The beef jerky got me."
Jolicoeur became ill and bed-ridden after he was arrested, however. He now lives at a nursing home and requires a respirator to breathe.
The state would have to foot the bill for his medical care if he went to prison, so they offered him a plea deal.
Jolicoeur pleaded no contest to five counts of felony petty theft.
He'll pay a fine, but he won't have to go to jail or serve probation.
"He's in his prison cell," said Assistant State Attorney Kyan Ware. "He's not getting out of that bed.
In 2005, Jolicoeur pleaded no contest to five similar crimes.
Prosecutors offered George Jolicoeur, 38, a plea deal because the cost of the medical care he requires made it too expensive to incarcerate him.
Jolicoeur scammed restaurants and stores by ordering food and then complaining about the quality and refusing to pay for it.
Police said he once drank five milkshakes at a restaurant and then complained the milk was "off" and refused to pay.
He was arrested in 2007 after he ate nearly $50 of beef jerky from a 7-Eleven, then left without paying because he said some of it was moldy.
On his way to the police station, according to the police report, Jolicoeur told the officer, "The beef jerky got me."
Jolicoeur became ill and bed-ridden after he was arrested, however. He now lives at a nursing home and requires a respirator to breathe.
The state would have to foot the bill for his medical care if he went to prison, so they offered him a plea deal.
Jolicoeur pleaded no contest to five counts of felony petty theft.
He'll pay a fine, but he won't have to go to jail or serve probation.
"He's in his prison cell," said Assistant State Attorney Kyan Ware. "He's not getting out of that bed.
In 2005, Jolicoeur pleaded no contest to five similar crimes.
