Man who says he robbed bank to pay for daughter's cancer treatment sent to prison

PONTIAC, Mich. – A 23-year-old Wixom man was sentenced to 45 months to 25 years in prison Wednesday after pleading no contest to a bank robbery charge. 

Brian Randolph robbed a Vibe Credit Union in August as part of a plan to pay for his daughter's cancer treatment, according to his family. 

However, police said Randolph took the money and went on a shopping spree in Chicago. Some money was recovered from a car he rented, police said. 

Randolph read a statement in court Wednesday. He said he doesn't understand why people are so upset with him for doing something to help his daughter.

"All I wanted was for my daughter to get her treatments, and even though what I did was wrong it immediately got her insurance turned back on," he said. 

Judge James M. Alexander didn't want to hear it. 

"You know, every day in this country somebody has a tragedy, but very, very, very, very, very few people decide the way to deal with that tragedy is to go out and rob a bank!" said Alexander. "And then blame the DHS and everybody else! And then tell the media, 'Oh I did it to save my daughter,' while you're running to Chicago and going on a shopping spree! Do not stand in front of me, and send me all these letters, to tell me what a wonderful guy you are. You're not. You're a bank robber!"

Alexander said Randolph should have done everything he could with DHS "the right way." 

"Following your logic, all anybody has to do to get something done is rob a bank, you won't have to commit a crime. We don't do that here," said Judge James M. Alexander. 

Randolph also must pay $4,996 in restitution. 

He pleaded no contest to the robbery charge in exchange for the dismissal of an armed robbery charge.