Gary Hank Thompson, 33, (left and right) pleaded guilty Wednesday to duping charges

He feigned a mental disability while begging and claims he made upwards of $100,000 annually
Thompson feigned a mental disability while begging and claims he made upwards of $100,000 annually 






Thompson has been accused of falsely representing his mental condition by slowing his speech and stuttering when he sought benefits.

When he was first brought to the attention of Lexington police in February 2103, a spokeswoman told Kentucky.com that Thompson pretended to be handicapped by by 'using slurred, slowed speech, contorting his face and holding one hand close to his body as if he doesn't have use of it'.

Spokeswoman Sherelle Roberts added: 'He handles himself in such a way that it's very offensive and almost mocking of people who have legitimate disabilities.'

And while Thompson has trouble walking and sometimes uses a wheelchair, his mental handicap is 'totally made up', she said. 

Regular haunt: Thompson was known to frequent the Zandale shopping center on Nicholasville Road for his panhandling 

Regular haunt: Thompson was known to frequent the Zandale shopping center on Nicholasville Road for his panhandling 




He was known to frequent the Zandale shopping center on Nicholasville Road, the Lansdowne shopping center on Tates Creek Road and in Hamburg, according to Kentucky.com. 

Back in 2013, Thompson had pleaded guilty to two counts of theft by deception for taking money from shoppers under the guise of being handicapped, said Courier-Journal.com.

He was also seen aggressively panhandling in a wheelchair - which he did not need - in Louisville.



Thompson is already serving a 14-month-sentence for passing a bad check in Barren County and seven months for assaulting a corrections employee in Shelby County. 

Prosecutors will recommend a prison sentence of two years and three months when Thompson is sentenced in June, plus restitution totaling more than $106,000, according to a news release.