A gay bank robber whom the FBI dubbed as the “Mr. Magoo Bandit” because of his baldness and prescription glasses was sentenced March 23 to three years and one month in federal prison.
Scott James Larson, 44, was ordered to pay $21,798 to all 12 banks he admitted to robbing in a series of crimes that started in November 2010, and ended in October 2011.
U.S. District Court Judge Anthony Battaglia said he didn’t impose a longer sentence because it was Larson himself who walked into an FBI office in Kearny Mesa Oct. 17, 2011, and made a full confession without an attorney.
No weapon was displayed or used in any of the robberies. Battaglia also noted that Larson agreed to plead guilty and to be sentenced for six hold-ups in other parts of the state and one in Nevada.
“In order to live with myself and make peace with God, I had to turn myself in,” wrote Larson in a letter to the judge.
His lawyer, Jason Ser, said “he couldn’t live with the guilt” and decided to turn himself in. He only committed the robberies after he lost his job and became homeless, said Ser.
“He was literally homeless. He was tired, hungry and cold. He snapped. He couldn’t live on the street,” said Ser. “He’s still a good man inside.”
In court documents, Ser wrote that Larson didn’t think his family in Iowa would help him because he is gay and they didn’t accept him. Ser wrote his family’s “intolerance is due in part to their religious views. As a result, he simply did not feel he could turn to them for help.”
Standing before the judge in a light green prison uniform, Larson told Battaglia “I take full responsibility” for my actions.
Larson pleaded guilty Dec. 20 to all 12 bank robberies in the “Mr. Magoo Bandit” series that included banks in North Park, Point Loma, Fashion Valley, San Francisco, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks and one in Henderson, Nev.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheila Nagaraj recommended a 46-month sentence, noting that he didn’t use a weapon, and accepted responsibility.
Nagaraj read a letter from a traumatized bank teller into the record in which the victim called the robbery “the worst day of my life.” Nagaraj said the teller still suffers from extreme anxiety and fears she will be robbed again.
“It is a troubling case, Mr. Larson,” said Battaglia. “You didn’t want to hurt anyone, but you did. This cannot be tolerated.”
“You realized you couldn’t keep doing this,” said the judge, who also said tough economic times are “no excuse” for committing robbery.
Larson was a mechanic in the Air Force and served in Operation Desert Shield/Storm. After his job was eliminated, Larson sold Saturn automobiles until he was laid off, according to his attorney.
The FBI released 18 photographs of the “Mr. Magoo Bandit” Aug. 11, 2011, to seek the public’s assistance to identify him.
Actually, Larson doesn’t closely resemble the cartoon character. Mr. Magoo was a short, bald man who was close to 70 years of age and his nearsightedness caused him to bump into things in comedic fashion. The character was created in 1949 and voiced by several actors including Jim Backus.
I read your article on my brother and would llike to say that I find that Scott would write in a letter that his family was not supportive of him nor help him due that he is gay. I am a older brother and I am gay and have a partner. My families tolerance as for gays is that we all love each other and for scott to feel that way I think is wrong. I have reached out to him many times and I know that he would not ask for help. He has a hard time dealing with it I think and that is why I think he has discent himslef from the family for fear of not being accepted and I have assured him that is not so. I am glad that you published the article .