A North Carolina man who deliberately got himself arrested to obtain free medical care in jail has spoken out from behind bars. James Verone, a laid-off employee of Coca Cola, recently noticed a protrusion in his chest and had developed arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Without health insurance or money for private care, Verone concluded his best option would be to go to prison. He then walked into a local bank and handed a teller a note reading: “This is a bank robbery. Please give me one dollar.”

James Verone: “First time I’ve ever been in trouble with the law, so it’s not—you know, I’m sort of a logical person, and that was my logic. That’s what I came up with. If it’s called manipulation, then out of necessity, because I need medical care, then I guess I am manipulating the courts to get medical care.”

After Verone demanded the dollar, he told the bank teller he would be seated, waiting for the police to arrest him. Verone has been charged with larceny. He says he hopes to remain jailed for three years to continue receiving medical treatment.