It is yet unknown what led Gladders, 64, to turn from being the best of law-abiding citizens to a bank robber. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, however, reported that he co-owned a business at the time of his crimes, and his business partner suggested that he had been facing money troubles.
Gladders had formal training in using guns, and served for a brief time as a St. Louis police officer. He started on a bank-robbing spree in 2013.
His first target for robbery was the Reliance Bank in Creve Coeur. He robbed that bank on July 7, 2013, then robbed the First National Bank in Weldon Spring on Aug 2, 2013.
He was apprehended near the site after robbing the First Bank in Dutzow, in Warren County, on Sept 20, 2013. He waved a revolver to scare people during each of his robberies, according to police officials.
He pleaded guilty in July to all charges brought against him including the three bank robbery charges and a charge of using a firearm to further a crime of violence. In August his law license was suspended, and as of now, he is no more registered as a lawyer in the Missouri bar's official directory.
The trooper, who refused to be named, told St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he had spotted Gladders' car just after he robbed the First Bank and asked him to pull over. Gladders opened fire on the trooper. He fired several shots, one of which hit the trooper, but was stopped by his bulletproof vest. Then the trooper shot Gladders in his leg.
US District Judge Carol Jackson sentenced Gladders to 24 years and five months in prison.
