The man who was recognized by a judge when he was in high school and given a reprimand for a misdemeanor is now back in jail.
Arthur Nathaniel Booth, 58, has been arrested for a series of alleged jewelry thefts in Miami that occurred earlier this month.
He has been charged with multiple crimes, including theft, burglary and home invasion.
Unfortunately, it appears Booth has fallen back into his old habits, despite his hopeful reunion with Judge Mindy Glazer after their chance meeting was watched by millions.
Booth targeted multiple victims in August, according to Miami Police spokesman Freddie Cruz. In one case, he posed as a water inspector to enter a home, where he stole jewelry and fled, investigators said.
In another case, he allegedly posed as a plumber and ripped a gold chain from the neck of an 85-year-old man as he bent down to turn on the tap in his bathtub.
The victim told NBC South Florida He had received the Saint Lazarus ornament as a gift from Cuba and the loss was terrible.
Arthur Nathaniel Booth, 58, has been arrested in connection with a series of recent burglaries in Miami
In a third alleged incident, police say, Booth approached a woman to ask for directions and then grabbed her necklace.
“Someone like that belongs behind bars,” Cruz said.
Authorities suspect Booth is responsible for additional burglaries and are currently investigating.
His last run-in with the law came nearly a decade ago, nearly a decade after his emotional encounter with Miami-Dade County Judge Mindy Glazer, who was also facing burglary charges.
In a tense courtroom, Glazer unexpectedly asked Booth if he had attended Nautilus Middle School.
Extraordinary moment: Judge Mindy Glazer and Arthur Booth had not met in more than three decades when he appeared in her courtroom for a bail hearing. He is accused of burglary and fleeing police
Booth had been moved to tears earlier when his old high school friend called him out from behind her bench. As the judge showered him with fond memories, she remembered him as “the nicest guy in high school.”
“He was the best kid in high school,” Glazer added. “I used to play football with him, with all the other kids, and look what happened.”
In the video, which was later posted online and has since been viewed more than 68 million times, Glazer offered words of encouragement.
“I’m sorry to see you here,” Glazer said, expressing her disappointment. “I’ve always wondered what happened to you, sir.”
Booth, visibly emotional, began to cry.
The moving meeting ended with a reality check when Judge Glazer set Booth’s bail at $43,000. But she also had some comforting parting words for her former classmate.
“What’s sad is how old we’ve gotten. Good luck sir, I hope you can come out of this okay and just live a lawful life.”
Booth is currently being held without bail.
It wasn’t always like this
Fifty years ago, prison time was not an option when Booth was selected to attend Nautilus Middle School, one of Miami’s top schools, after excelling at William J. Bryant Elementary.
His parents, Hilda and Fresswell, were overjoyed that their eldest son had been selected for this prestigious institution.
Booth, a self-taught Spanish speaker with a talent for mathematics and science, was seen as an intelligent and promising student.
His aunt, Betty Knight, told DailyMail.com about his exceptional talents and his parents’ pride in his achievements.
Booth’s journey to Nautilus included a 30-minute bus ride from his home in North Miami. He consistently achieved high grades and was on track for a successful future.
At Nautilus he first met Glazer, who also attended the same school and later became a judge.
Booth graduated from Nautilus in 1980 and continued his education at Miami Beach High School. However, his academic career was disrupted by a gambling addiction that developed during his high school years, causing him to drop out in the 11th grade.
Gambling consumed Booth’s life, causing him to turn to theft to support his habit. He committed a series of burglaries and robberies, but never resorted to violence.
Both Arthur Booth – the future serial criminal – and Mindy Glazer – the judge. View of Nautilus Middle School, where convicted criminal Arthur Booth studied
“Arthur gambled on everything and at every moment,” his niece Melissa Miller, 27, said in an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com
‘If Arthur hadn’t been addicted to gambling and drugs, he wouldn’t be where he is today.
“That was his downfall. He’s not a violent person and he didn’t hurt anyone, but to feed his addictions he always needed money and it was easier to steal.”
In 1980, at the age of 18, Booth was arrested for grand larceny and spent time in prison. His struggles continued into the 1980s when he became addicted to crack cocaine, a common substance in Miami at the time.
Despite family members’ attempts to intervene, Booth’s addiction spiraled out of control.
In 1988, at age 22, Booth was sentenced to 20 years in prison for burglary and theft. He served 10 years before being released on parole.
After his release, Booth had difficulty finding work due to his criminal record.
“It was hard for him when he got out because he couldn’t find a job. No one would hire a repeat offender. He went looking for jobs and they just sent him away,” Melissa said.
“It was the same when he tried to find an apartment. He was a criminal and no one wanted him.”
Arthur Booth was selected for Nautilus Middle School because of his intelligence, his family announced, and his dream was to become a neurosurgeon (Pictured: Booth in the 1979 Nautilus Middle School yearbook)
Glazer, who served as judge during Booth’s 2015 trial, had some comforting parting words for her former classmate, including, “Mr. Booth, I hope you can change your behavior, good luck,” she said. (Pictured: Glazer in the 1979 Nautilus Middle School yearbook)
The only benefit of prison was that he was able to kick his drug addiction, but his weakness for gambling remained.
In 1997, at age 31, Booth was on work release duty with other inmates to help clean up litter on the roads around Miami.
Although his sentence was almost over, Booth fled from work and went on the run.
Family members hid him and he remained at large for nearly two months until he was caught at a Miami Heat basketball game.
By 2015, Booth had spent the last 15 years in and out of prison. Although he had expressed good intentions, his circumstances had led him back to criminal activity.