An Iowa man who got caught trying to steal a woman's purse offered officers $1 million to let him go
- An Iowa man who got caught trying to steal a purse attempted to bribe officers with $1 million.
- Ricardo Esparza wanted to give them money in exchange for not arresting him, The Globe Gazette reported.
An Iowa man who tried to steal a woman's purse offered the officers who caught him $1 million to not arrest him, according to The Globe Gazette.
Ricardo Esparza, 49, was following a woman in an alley in Davenport, Iowa, on May 17 when she turned around to face him, the Gazette reported. He pulled on her purse straps and punched her in the face.
The police arrived shortly after the interaction between Esparza and the woman. As officers escorted him to the backseat of their squad car and read him his Miranda rights, Esparza tried to bribe them, according to The Gazette.
He asked the officers to let him go in exchange for $1 million. He said he'd give it to them in cash or transfer the money straight to their bank accounts, The Gazette reported.
Esparza, when asked by the officers if he was attempting to bribe them, said yes.
Officers took him to jail and he is being charged with second-degree robbery and bribery. If convicted, he could spend up to 15 years in prison, per The Gazette.
A preliminary hearing for Esparza is scheduled for May 27.