Benjamin Hoskins Paddock
| Benjamin Hoskins Paddock | |
|---|---|
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| Born |
Benjamin Hoskins Paddock Jr. November 1, 1926 Sheboygan, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | January 18, 1998 (aged 71) |
| Other names | Bruce Werner Ericksen |
| Spouse(s) | Dolores Irene Hudson |
| Children | 4; including Stephen |
Benjamin Hoskins “Ben” Paddock Jr. (November 1, 1926 – January 18, 1998) was an American bank robber and con man who was on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list from 1969 to 1977.
Paddock was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin on November 1, 1926, the son of Benjamin Hoskins Paddock Sr. and Olga Gunderson. He served in the United States Navy as an S2 (Seaman Second Class) during World War II.
In the 1950s in Tucson, Arizona, he operated a service station where he sold used cars. He later sold garbage disposal units under the name of Arizona Disposer Company and was connected with the operation of a nightclub in Tucson, Arizona. In the late 1950s, Paddock volunteered with the Pima County Juvenile Probation Department and in 1959 was named special deputy to handle cases of wayward youths.
In 1946, Paddock was convicted of ten counts of auto larceny and five counts of confidence game and was confined at the Illinois State Penitentiary until July, 1951. In 1953, he was convicted of conspiracy in connection with a bad check passing operation and was again held at the Illinois State Penitentiary until August 1956. In one of his early arrests, he was found with a concealed revolver.
He was accused of robbing branches of the Valley National Bank of Arizona in Phoenix of $11,210 on February 19, 1959, and of $9,285 on January 29, 1960. He robbed another branch of $4,620 on July 26, 1960. He was captured and then convicted for the third robbery in federal court in January 1961. During his arrest, he attempted to run down an FBI agent with his car. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. On December 30, 1968, Paddock escaped from the Federal Correctional Institution, La Tuna in Anthony, Texas. A warrant for his arrest relating to his escape was issued on February 3, 1969, and he was placed on the FBI 10 most wanted list.
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