Oh brother, this is a good one...
A former IFBB Pro bodybuilding champion has blamed the abuse of anabolic steroids on his bank robbery spree that has landed him in jail for a very long time.
Miguel E. Neil, 41, a former professional bodybuilder and champion, has been jailed for his part in 15 bank robberies on businesses in 2011 and 2012, on fast-food outlets, gas stations and convenience stores.
neil1Neil finished in first place at the 2007 NPC Arnold Amateur, and then won the 2011 NPC National Championships – winning his IFBB Pro card. It seems during his time of competing at a national and professional level, he was also actively robbing stores and shops.
Neil was originally arrested in 2013 after a car chase by the Columbus police department and officers from the Ohio division of police. Neil was a suspect in 30 local robberies and SWAT teams were watching him on November 15th 2013. It didn’t take long for Neil to act and rob a Bureau of Motor Vehicles license center, leading officers to chase him into a children’s dance studio where he was captured and tasered.
Authorities charged Neil with the robbery on November 15th, another on Wendy’s on November 8th and another on BMV. He pleaded guilty to four robberies in 2011, during the time of his bodybuilding competing days.
It was thought Neil had reached a plea deal with prosecutors, but rejected sentencing at 25-years, then again at 30-years, after disagreements with which robberies and charges should be put against him.
A jury then convicted Neil of 36 counts relating to the robberies spanning almost three years.
Before sentencing, Neil was allowed to make a statement, which he blamed his robbery spree on the use of anabolic steroids, but didn’t aim to “belittle what he’s done” and labelled his own actions a “disgrace.”
Neil claimed his was a successful bodybuilder and was recognised in the industry.
“I was a success story,” Neil told the judge. “I was in magazines” and received letters from prison inmates saying, “I was an inspiration to guys in the institution.”
His statement, however, was cut short when Common Pleas Judge David W. Fais, had enough of listening to Neil.
Assistant County Prosecutor Doug Stead said that Neil had been a criminal all his life and was having none of the blame game on steroids.
“He’s been no good his entire adult life,” Stead said, whilst asking the judge to sentence him to 77-years.
Neil’s defence attorney, Mark C. Collins, told his client to come to an agreement with prosecutors, but had rejected that option twice.
Neil then pleaded not guilty to all charges and took the risk of not accepting a less harsh sentence for a guilty plea. That looks like its come back to haunt Neil, as yesterday he was sentenced on all charges and was jailed for a total of 44-years. That will make Neil eligible for parole at 85-years old.
Although bad, 44-years is better than the 120-years he faced being sentenced for.
One of his victims, Burgandy Morris, who was working at the BMV during the robbery, said she had forgiven Neil, but that the robbery had a lasting psychological effect on her.
Source:
Futty, J. (October 29, 2014). Robber sent to prison until he’s 85. Retrieved from
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/10/29/Former_bodybuilder_sentenced.html
