RHINELANDER, Wis.–A 58-year-old member of Park City Credit Union here has been charged with disorderly conduct after making a joke that led to police being called, while the man who caused the problem was called “stupid” by his wife.
According to the criminal complaint, Rhinelander police were called to the scene in mid-afternoon after an “incident” between a teller and member Jeffrey L. Sweeney. RiverNewsOnline.com reported that a teller told a detective Sweeney entered the credit union, walked up to her window and told her to "put her hands up, give him all the money and to not press her panic button," according to the police report. The teller further told the detective Sweeney repeatedly scanned the interior of the bank before approaching her, and didn't move or say anything else after his initial statement. However, when another teller came into view and greeted Sweeney, he "completely changed his demeanor," the complaint states, RiverNewsOnline.com reported.
Sweeney exited the credit union and returned home, where, under questioning from police, he admitted to making the statement, claiming he was “joking.”
“At that point, the complaint states Sweeney's wife started yelling at him for being ‘so stupid,’” RiverNewsOnline.com reported.
Sweeney was charged with a class B misdemeanor and attempted to plead guilty, but Judge Patrick O'Melia said due to victim's rights consideration, a guilty plea could not be accepted at that time. Sweeney was given a $1,000 signature bond with the condition that he not go on credit union property.