By Christina M. Wright, Herald Bulletin Staff Writer
ANDERSON — In a quick-solve case, an Anderson man was sentenced to 20 years for allegedly abducting and robbing a victim who was immediately able to identify the culprits.
Seth Beck, 20, pleaded guilty Monday to Class B felony conspiracy to commit armed robbery, a reduction from Class B felonies armed robbery and criminal confinement.
In Madison Superior Court 3 Monday, Beck said he was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2004 or 2005. He is now taking medications to regulate voices and mood swings.
Meanwhile, said Madison County Deputy Attorney Stephen Koester, Beck committed numerous crimes as a result of not taking his medications.
Beck was on probation in a previous case when the robbery happened. Defense attorney Bryan Williams asked the judge to give Beck one more chance on probation.
“When people are doing well, they tend to stop taking their medications and that’s when bad things happen,” Williams said. “That’s what health court is for.”
According to a police report, Beck and his girlfriend stopped a man at the McDonald’s at 14th and Jackson streets on Aug. 7. At gunpoint, the two forced the man to drive them to a local address. In court Monday, Beck denied abducting the man.
They took the man into a room in the house, where they robbed him of $10 in cash and about $1,400 worth of electronics. After about 30 minutes, they let him go.
The man was able to contact police, take them to the house and identify the two offenders within 24 hours, the police report said. Police found two BB guns in the house. One gun had real bullets in it, according to the police report.
The electronics were taken to the police department by one of Beck’s relatives whom Beck had asked to hold.
Contact Christina M. Wright, 640-4883, christina.wright@heraldbulletin.com.
