Thomas Holland
A man who was robbing local drug stores until a pharmacist subdued him with a metal pipe has been sentenced to serve 70 months in federal prison.
Thomas Holland appeared before Judge Curtis Collier.
His sentencing range was 63-78 months.
Holland said he had become a drug addict after he was given paregoric when he was five years old. He said he turned to drugs after being sexually abused.
An unhappy marriage helped spiral him toward the pharmacy robberies, he said.
He said after his arrest, "I was so ashamed that I begged the policeman who drove me to jail to shoot me."
On July 18, 2013, Holland entered the CVS Pharmacy at 1150 Hixson Pike with a BB gun. He demanded dilaudid and morphine, telling the pharmacist, "I think you have 30 seconds or you're dead."
He got the pills, then told the pharmacist, "You are coming with me, and you are driving me away from here like my taxi." It was then the pharmacist hit him with the pipe.
Authorities said five days earlier that Holland had carried out a similar robbery at Walgreens on North Market.
They believe he was also the robber in a July 5 holdup at Walgreens on Gunbarrel Road.