A person being arrested and charged with a crime does not automatically prove guilt, but it does mean that the accused may face challenging legal issues. A conviction can mean years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines. Whether the charges are for misdemeanors or felonies, those accused of crimes should try to understand the legal system and the appropriate criminal defense for each charge.

A man who recently robbed a North Seattle bank is facing very serious criminal charges. The robbery occurred on the morning of Dec. 8 at a Wells Fargo Bank branch. Police say the 30-year-old man went into the bank with a fake pipe bomb strapped to his body. He allegedly showed a teller the bomb and demanded $120,000. The teller refused but gave the man more than $9,000. The robber tried to get customers to give him their car keys but they all refused. Police say the robber tried to take a car from a nearby parking lot before carjacking a vehicle from the drive-through window of a coffee stand.

The robber made the driver of the carjacked vehicle go to another parking lot; at that point, the thief exited the car. Police say the bank robber then got into an SUV and continued his getaway. Officers spotted the vehicle and began to chase the man. The chase ended when the robber hit a curb and flipped the vehicle.

The man told police he needed the money. He has been charged with first-degree robbery for the bank heist as well as being charged with unlawful imprisonment and eluding police for his actions during the attempted getaway.

Anyone can run into trouble with the law. When confronted with allegations and charges of wrong-doing, it is important to find out what the law says. Accused individuals should be knowledgeable about the facts of the case, the immediate and ongoing options, and the applicable rights of accused people, as well as seeking to understand the legal process from arrest to conviction. Whether the allegations are true or false, knowing how the legal process works may result a better outcome within the law.

Source: Seattletimes.com, "Police say bank-robbery crime spree ended in jail," Christine Clarridge, Dec. 13, 2012