Prison ordered for man who robbed Janesville bank
JANESVILLE — A man who robbed the Janesville Mid-America Bank at gunpoint in August 2010 was sentenced Friday in federal court to 10 years in prison and ordered to repay the stolen money.
Michael C. Funk, 27, formerly of Lebanon, Pa., had deserted from the U.S. Army after being disqualified for acceptance into a special forces unit. Within a few weeks, he robbed a gas station in Belvidere, Ill., on August 5, 2010, and held up the Mid-American Bank branch on Milton Avenue the next day.
Funk entered the bank, pointed a handgun at the teller and said, “Give me all your money,” before fleeing in the same car a clerk at the Belvidere gas station saw him use, according court documents.
Funk avoided arrest until he was stopped in King County, Washington, on Sept. 1, 2010. He had two firearms, “a bag of ammunition,” three swords, a bow and arrows and $5,182 cash, including bait money the Mid-America Bank teller gave him.
When arrested, a 9mm handgun with a round in the chamber was on the floor of Funk’s car in plain view of the arresting police officer. That prompted District Judge William Conley to ask Funk on Friday if he had wanted the officer to shoot him.
“I hoped I would get killed,” Funk said.
“Do you know what they would have done to that officer? Imagine what impact your actions had on that police officer, that bank teller,” Conley said as he began a discussion of Funk’s antisocial behavior.
Funk’s criminal case was delayed by two suicide attempts while he was in detention. He was diagnosed with profound depression, Conley said. Funk’s depression might have its roots with failing to deal with his mother’s death from cancer when Funk was 16, Conley said.
Conley told Funk to resume taking medication and participate in mental health treatment or he’ll continue to cut himself.
“You haven’t been willing to talk to anyone else (about the past), and I hope the emotion of today causes some reflection on your part,” Conley said.
Conley gave Funk several minutes in court to read a letter written to him by a sister. It left Funk in tears.
“That is the first time in front of me you’ve shown any concern—you need to do a lot more crying,” Conley said.
Funk faced a mandatory-minimum of seven years in prison for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Although it was Funk’s first offense, Conley said Funk warranted a longer sentence because of his personal history and need for mental health treatment.
Conley made Funk’s sentence concurrent to any sentence imposed in Rock County Court on charges stemming from the bank robbery.
