A small-town bank robber who was turned in to authorities by his three sons was sentenced Thursday to 40 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Jeanne Scott handed out the minimum sentence allowed by law to William Alfred «Al» Ginglen, who at 64 likely will serve the rest of his life behind bars. Ginglen, who was convicted on seven counts of armed bank robbery and two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence, also was ordered to pay $56,382 (¤47,316) in restitution. The money he stole, authorities said, went to support a girlfriend, a crack cocaine habit and visits to prostitutes. But before he lost two jobs in 2001 and the bank robberies began in 2003, Scott noted that Ginglen had spent the bulk of his life as a civic leader and married father of four. «You pose a dilemma in trying to figure out what in the world happened to you,» Scott said. «I too have struggled with that. For over 60 years of your life, you lived an exemplary life.» Given the chance to speak before receiving the 481-month sentence, Ginglen started to speak, stopped for 90 seconds to compose himself, and then said, «I'd like to apologize to everyone.» --More 23 15 Local Time 20 15 GMT
