Footage filmed in a court room in Florida went viral after the judge recognised the suspect as one of her former middle school classmates.
Arthur Booth was arrested after being spotted driving a car that matched the description of one involved in a robbery and causing a police chase when he refused to stop for officers.
He was charged with various counts of burglary, grand theft, reckless driving, leaving the scene of a crash, fleeing from an officer, criminal mischief, and resisting arrest without violence, and appeared before Judge Mindy Glazer shortly afterwards in Miami-Dade bond court.
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This wasn't the first time Glazer had encountered Booth, though, as she reveals below:
Booth was 49 at the time of his arrest in 2015, but years earlier he had attended Nautilus middle school - the same school Glazer attended.
Addressing Booth in the courtroom, Glazer said: "I have a question for you. Did you go to Nautilus for middle school?"
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The suspect didn't actually get around to saying yes or no, but his answer was quickly made clear as he exclaimed 'oh my goodness' and broke down in tears.
Glazer described Booth as 'the best kid in middle school' and recalled how the two used to play football together.
"What's sad is how old we've become. Good luck to you, sir. I hope you are able to come out of this OK and just lead a lawful life," she added.
The judge set Booth's bond at $43,000 and Booth went to jail, where he served a 10-month sentence. The story between him and Glazer did not end there, though, as the judge was waiting for her former classmate when he was released.
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She hugged Booth and told him to take care of his family, adding: "Try to get a job. Stay clean. You're going to do something good for somebody else."
Booth assured her that he would do as she said and described the judge as both an 'inspiration and a motivation' to him.
As CBS News reports, he added: "'Cause I know where I could've been, but I'm not giving up on life. It's just a new lease on life for me right now."
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Family members of Booth told the MailOnline he had spent almost half of his adult life behind bars prior to him being reunited with Glazer, with his cousin expressing hopes that meeting up with his old classmate would act as a 'wake up call' that would allow him to move on and 'start his life over'.
After being released from jail, Booth promised Glazer he wouldn't let her down.
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Emily Brown