KC man with 92 criminal convictions loses appeal of 16-year bank robbery sentence

Despite 91 prior criminal convictions, a Kansas City man argued that a 16-year sentence he received for his 92nd — a 2013 bank robbery — was unreasonable.

But on Monday, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected that argument.

The court found that the judge who imposed the sentence on Casey M. Widman did not abuse his discretion in departing from the sentence length called for by sentencing guidelines.

In sentencing Widman, District Judge Greg Kays noted that it was Widman’s third conviction for bank robbery, his 15th felony conviction and his 92nd conviction overall.

Prosecutors requested the departure from guidelines.

“None of the defendant’s prior sentences have impressed upon him the seriousness of his conduct, including his prior federal convictions for bank robbery,” prosecutors said in court documents. “The United States suggests that a sentence above the guideline range will do so.”

Although he acknowledged Widman’s honesty and acceptance of responsibility by pleading guilty, the judge said he was sentencing him to 16 years “because of your criminal history, and the need to protect the public.”

Widman, 61, held up the Bank Midwest at 63rd Street and Brookside Boulevard in December 2013. He was armed with a handgun that police later determined was a pellet pistol.

He is serving the sentence at a medium-security federal prison in North Carolina.

This story was originally published May 16, 2016 at 11:28 AM with the headline "KC man with 92 criminal convictions loses appeal of 16-year bank robbery sentence."