---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I rob a gas station, I'm going to get…"
description: "\"If I rob a gas station, I'm going to get 15 years. If I steal $400 million on Wall Street, I start plea-bargaining.\" — Powers Boothe"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/powers-boothe-15328_gas_if-i-rob-a-gas-station-i-m-going-to-get_2230793.jpg"
---

#  If I rob a gas station, I'm going to get 15 years. If I…

![“If I rob a gas station, I'm going to get 15 years. If I steal $400 million on Wall Street, I start plea-bargaining.” quote by Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/powers-boothe-15328_gas_if-i-rob-a-gas-station-i-m-going-to-get_2230793.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/powers-boothe-15328_gas_if-i-rob-a-gas-station-i-m-going-to-get_2230793.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/powers-boothe-15328_gas_if-i-rob-a-gas-station-i-m-going-to-get_2230793.jpg)

> “If I rob a gas station, I'm going to get 15 years. If I steal $400 million on Wall Street, I start plea-bargaining.”

[Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Crime punishments differ vastly between petty theft and high‑level financial fraud, highlighting systemic inequality.

**In simple terms:** Legal consequences are uneven.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and address justice disparities.

Themes

justice inequality law economics

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

analytical commentary

When to use this quote

- policy reform
- legal advocacy
- financial regulation
- public awareness

Key Concepts

systemic bias punishment disparity

Questions to Reflect On

- How does socioeconomic status affect legal outcomes?
- What reforms could equalize punishment?

A Different Perspective

The quote oversimplifies complex legal frameworks and individual case nuances.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/street/) [Wall St](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall-st/) [Wall street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall-street/)

## Related quotes

> [Years, following years, steal something every day; At last they steal us from ourselves away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/years-following-years-steal-something-every-day-at-last-they-steal-us/)

[Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/)

> [It's hard to explain to someone the feeling of going from 15 years old - just playing for your local team, having no money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-gnabry/it-s-hard-to-explain-to-someone-the-feeling-of-going-from-15-years/)

[Serge Gnabry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-gnabry/)

> [I didn't really know what I was going to do when I was 15, or where I was heading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hailie-deegan/i-didn-t-really-know-what-i-was-going-to-do-when-i-was-15-or-where-i/)

[Hailie Deegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hailie-deegan/)

> [Years steal fire from the mind as vigor from the limb; and life's enchanted cup but sparkles near the brim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/years-steal-fire-from-the-mind-as-vigor-from-the-limb-and-life-s/)

[Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/)

> [“Police throughout the United States have been caught fabricating, planting, and manipulating evidence to obtain convictions where cases would otherwise be very weak. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carpenter/police-throughout-the-united-states-have-been-caught-fabricating/)

[Dale Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carpenter/)

> [In many courts, plea bargaining serves the convenience of the judge and the lawyers, not the ends of justice, because the courts simply lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/in-many-courts-plea-bargaining-serves-the-convenience-of-the-judge/)

[Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/)

> [Yet far from putting any meaningful constraints on law enforcement in this war, the U.S. Supreme Court has given the police license to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/yet-far-from-putting-any-meaningful-constraints-on-law-enforcement-in/)

[Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/)

> [40% of homicides go unsolved. You know, it's not a very good record. And, also, 95% of convictions in America come from plea bargaining,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/40-of-homicides-go-unsolved-you-know-it-s-not-a-very-good-record-and/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [“The Supreme Court has now closed the courthouse doors to claims of racial bias at every stage of the criminal justice process, from stops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/the-supreme-court-has-now-closed-the-courthouse-doors-to-claims-of/)

[Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/)

> [I don't live in the papal residence. I live in a simple apartment behind the Vatican gas station.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-don-t-live-in-the-papal-residence-i-live-in-a-simple-apartment/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [“Fortune Without Love (The Sonnet) Fortune without love is sheer curse, For life's true blessing is love alone. Live to love and love to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/fortune-without-love-the-sonnet-fortune-without-love-is-sheer-curse/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

> [“I was just beginning to wonder how long I would have to wait when finally a guard sauntered up and said, “Galloway, get your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-galloway/i-was-just-beginning-to-wonder-how-long-i-would-have-to-wait-when/)

[Noah Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-galloway/)

> [I know quickly whether a guy is boyfriend material. If I can have a good time doing absolutely nothing with him, then that's boyfriend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-hannigan/i-know-quickly-whether-a-guy-is-boyfriend-material-if-i-can-have-a/)

[Alyson Hannigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-hannigan/)

> [It's easier to get funding for a gas station than to start the next Facebook or Twitter in the Mideast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/it-s-easier-to-get-funding-for-a-gas-station-than-to-start-the-next/)

[Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/)

> [I'm stranded all alone in the gas station of love, and I have to use the self service pump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-stranded-all-alone-in-the-gas-station-of-love-and-i-have-to-use/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Powers Boothe

> [That joy of a creative environment, without any restrictions, is hard to leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/that-joy-of-a-creative-environment-without-any-restrictions-is-hard/)

[Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

> [Since I've had some success, story and character are always the two elements I think about first in material presented to me. Some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/since-i-ve-had-some-success-story-and-character-are-always-the-two/)

[Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

> [I was raised a proper Southern boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-was-raised-a-proper-southern-boy/)

[Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

> [I've always felt if you followed a real private detective around, it would be boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-ve-always-felt-if-you-followed-a-real-private-detective-around-it/)

[Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

> [The first 10 years I was a professional actor, I did Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/the-first-10-years-i-was-a-professional-actor-i-did-shakespeare/)

[Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

> [When I'm out there, it's just me. Nobody's controlling me, and I can do whatever I want to do. I'm my own man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/when-i-m-out-there-it-s-just-me-nobody-s-controlling-me-and-i-can-do/)

[Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

> [I've got a family, and I love them, and I want them to have the best opportunities in the best country in the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-ve-got-a-family-and-i-love-them-and-i-want-them-to-have-the-best/)

[Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

> [I have always been attracted to good scripts and try hard to make characters as believable as possible. That means trying to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-have-always-been-attracted-to-good-scripts-and-try-hard-to-make/)

[Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

> [Everyone has this vision of Jones as a maniacal ogre. Wrong. He was charming, sweet, and a fabulous speaker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/everyone-has-this-vision-of-jones-as-a-maniacal-ogre-wrong-he-was/)

[Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

> [I'm not going to make my living out of beating my head against somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-m-not-going-to-make-my-living-out-of-beating-my-head-against/)

[Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

> [I like to do things that are about relationships, work with quality people, and tell a different kind of story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-like-to-do-things-that-are-about-relationships-work-with-quality/)

[Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

> [I wanted to be in 'The Emerald Forest.' I chased that one for six months before it all came about. I wanted to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-wanted-to-be-in-the-emerald-forest-i-chased-that-one-for-six-months/)

[Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

> [You don't do classics with a Texas accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/you-don-t-do-classics-with-a-texas-accent/)

[Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

> [I like to think of myself as fairly intellectual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-like-to-think-of-myself-as-fairly-intellectual/)

[Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

> [I come prepared when I come to work. Not just knowing the lines, but I think I know something about what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-come-prepared-when-i-come-to-work-not-just-knowing-the-lines-but-i/)

[Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

[Explore all 43 Powers Boothe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/)

## More Gas quotes

> [The improved American highway system isolated the American-in-transit. On his speedway he had no contact with the towns which he by-passed. If he stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/the-improved-american-highway-system-isolated-the-american-in-transit/)

[Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/)

> [I'm stranded all alone in the gas station of love, and I have to use the self service pump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-stranded-all-alone-in-the-gas-station-of-love-and-i-have-to-use/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There are thousands of great artists that wouldn't be doing the same kind of work if there were no music business machine. The ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-buckley/there-are-thousands-of-great-artists-that-wouldn-t-be-doing-the-same/)

[Jeff Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-buckley/)

> [ What are you for? It may be, to a degree, consoling that white brothers and sisters did not vote for \[Donald\] Trump, and do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/what-are-you-for-it-may-be-to-a-degree-consoling-that-white-brothers/)

[Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/)

> [Kilometers are shorter than miles. Save gas, take your next trip in kilometers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/kilometers-are-shorter-than-miles-save-gas-take-your-next-trip-in/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [Wind and solar power, energy efficient buildings, cars that go farther on a tank of gas, and other solutions can fight climate change. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-beinecke/wind-and-solar-power-energy-efficient-buildings-cars-that-go-farther/)

[Frances Beinecke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-beinecke/)

> [It's easier to get funding for a gas station than to start the next Facebook or Twitter in the Mideast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/it-s-easier-to-get-funding-for-a-gas-station-than-to-start-the-next/)

[Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/)

> [We have to slow down the emissions of carbon dioxide and methane from coal burning, oil and eventually natural gas... And the best ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramez-naam/we-have-to-slow-down-the-emissions-of-carbon-dioxide-and-methane-from/)

[Ramez Naam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramez-naam/)

> [For many people, tear gas is their first interaction with state violence. It's the first time they've been treated like an insect, usually by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeynep-tufekci/for-many-people-tear-gas-is-their-first-interaction-with-state/)

[Zeynep Tufekci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeynep-tufekci/)

> [Seoul will strictly limit the total greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and expand the construction of zero-energy buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-won-soon/seoul-will-strictly-limit-the-total-greenhouse-gas-emissions-from/)

[Park Won-soon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-won-soon/)

> [I love a couple of Fulci things. I just had a gas watching them. It's not what I would do, but I loved watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-romero/i-love-a-couple-of-fulci-things-i-just-had-a-gas-watching-them-it-s/)

[George A. Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-romero/)

> [Pesticides came about after the first world war. Some brainy petrochemical money maker said, 'Hey, that mustard gas worked great on people, maybe we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/pesticides-came-about-after-the-first-world-war-some-brainy/)

[Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/)

> [“…he was doing a breath hydrogen test. If you know the amount of hydrogen someone is exhaling orally, it's a simple matter to extrapolate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/he-was-doing-a-breath-hydrogen-test-if-you-know-the-amount-of/)

[Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/)

> [I know quickly whether a guy is boyfriend material. If I can have a good time doing absolutely nothing with him, then that's boyfriend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-hannigan/i-know-quickly-whether-a-guy-is-boyfriend-material-if-i-can-have-a/)

[Alyson Hannigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-hannigan/)

> [I was in the Far East and I went into a restaurant and I ordered octopus and the waiter said: "It takes four hours."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-carson/i-was-in-the-far-east-and-i-went-into-a-restaurant-and-i-ordered/)

[Frank Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-carson/)

Browse all 1,454 Gas quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If I rob a gas station, I'm going to get 15 years. If I steal $400 million on Wall Street, I start plea-bargaining.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Powers Boothe"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/if-i-rob-a-gas-station-i-m-going-to-get-15-years-if-i-steal-400/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Gas"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/if-i-rob-a-gas-station-i-m-going-to-get-15-years-if-i-steal-400/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/powers-boothe-15328_gas_if-i-rob-a-gas-station-i-m-going-to-get_2230793.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/powers-boothe-15328_gas_if-i-rob-a-gas-station-i-m-going-to-get_2230793.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/powers-boothe-15328_gas_if-i-rob-a-gas-station-i-m-going-to-get_2230793.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If I rob a gas station, I'm going to get 15 years. If I steal $400 million on Wall Street, I start…” — Powers Boothe",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Powers Boothe",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If I rob a gas station,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/if-i-rob-a-gas-station-i-m-going-to-get-15-years-if-i-steal-400/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/if-i-rob-a-gas-station-i-m-going-to-get-15-years-if-i-steal-400/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
