Canadian Bank Robber: Jail Time Must Fit Exchange Rate
TORONTO (Reuters) - A Canadian man, facing seven years in jail for robbing an
upstate New York bank, wants a discount on his jail time to account for the
country's weaker exchange rate against the U.S. dollar.
Robert Moisescu believes he should only serve four years with the Canadian
dollar worth roughly 60 percent of the U.S. greenback.
He has managed to delay his sentencing with the argument, which left the
prosecutor amused but unmoved.
"I think this is a ridiculous argument, absolutely ridiculous. I can't believe
that he believes that," district attorney Richard Cantwell told Reuters on
Monday.
"He knew that it was seven years and that seven years is the same in every
country in the world. I'm convinced that he knew we were talking about time
and there was no Canadian conversion."
Moisescu pleaded guilty to robbing a Champlain, New York bank in January,
making off with about $30,000 before being captured near the border with the
money stuffed in his shirt.
At his sentencing hearing in March, Moisescu asked the judge to consider the
exchange rate differential.
"Seven years Canadian is worth four years American," Moisescu said in a
letter. "Taking into account my Canadian criminal record, at current exchange
rates, is only worth 62 percent of an American criminal court, I thought I had
a good chance at a reduced sentence."
Moisescu also asked for a replacement to his court-appointed lawyer because he
would not argue this point for him. He was granted until May 20 to find a new
lawyer before the case goes back before the judge.
District attorney Cantwell said Moisescu could now retract his guilty plea and
ask for a trial so he can plead for a lesser sentence based on the exchange
rate.
"I'll be asking for 25 years if he makes me go to trial for that reason alone.
And I'll ask for it in American years," Cantwell said.
($1=$1.56 Canadian)
TORONTO (Reuters) - A Canadian man, facing seven years in jail for robbing an
upstate New York bank, wants a discount on his jail time to account for the
country's weaker exchange rate against the U.S. dollar.
Robert Moisescu believes he should only serve four years with the Canadian
dollar worth roughly 60 percent of the U.S. greenback.
He has managed to delay his sentencing with the argument, which left the
prosecutor amused but unmoved.
"I think this is a ridiculous argument, absolutely ridiculous. I can't believe
that he believes that," district attorney Richard Cantwell told Reuters on
Monday.
"He knew that it was seven years and that seven years is the same in every
country in the world. I'm convinced that he knew we were talking about time
and there was no Canadian conversion."
Moisescu pleaded guilty to robbing a Champlain, New York bank in January,
making off with about $30,000 before being captured near the border with the
money stuffed in his shirt.
At his sentencing hearing in March, Moisescu asked the judge to consider the
exchange rate differential.
"Seven years Canadian is worth four years American," Moisescu said in a
letter. "Taking into account my Canadian criminal record, at current exchange
rates, is only worth 62 percent of an American criminal court, I thought I had
a good chance at a reduced sentence."
Moisescu also asked for a replacement to his court-appointed lawyer because he
would not argue this point for him. He was granted until May 20 to find a new
lawyer before the case goes back before the judge.
District attorney Cantwell said Moisescu could now retract his guilty plea and
ask for a trial so he can plead for a lesser sentence based on the exchange
rate.
"I'll be asking for 25 years if he makes me go to trial for that reason alone.
And I'll ask for it in American years," Cantwell said.
($1=$1.56 Canadian)
