Water-Gun Wielding Taco Shop Robber Serving Life in Ark Wants Out

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For the past 40 years, Rolf Kaestel has been sitting in prison.  Currently, he is spending time in a Utah jail as part of the Arkansas Department of Corrections’ Interstate Compact for a robbery he committed in 1981.  Now, he is asking Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson for clemency in order to spend the rest of his life a free man.

According to WGNO, Kaestel robbed a taco shop back in '81 while brandishing a weapon.  That weapon would be later revealed to be a child's water gun, but the illusion was good enough to bluff the taco shop's manager into forking over the cash.  Kaestel would leave with a mere $264 - but that haul would cost him big time.  He was convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to pay a $15,000 fine and spend life in prison.

During the past 40 years, Kaestel has reportedly been a model prisoner.  He has earned an astounding three associate’s degrees and several college credits during his incarceration and, according to records, never violated prison rules in the 4 decades he has been behind bars.  Even the man he robbed (taco shop manager Dennis Schluterman) is asking for the Arkansas Governor to set Rolf free.

Kaestel just celebrated his 70th birthday behind bars on June 2nd.  Governor Hutchinson has less than 90 days to consider his request and either deny it or approve it and fling open the jailhouse doors for Kaestel.