According to his rap sheet, Plate was arrested numerous of times for robbery and in 1937 was sentenced to a 5-10 year prison term. He also had arrests for felonious assault and "frequenting house of ill fame" and "frequenting gaming houses". Plate had a reputation as a violent individual and a vicious killer. In 1969, he was indicted for intimidating an automobile dealer for $40,000 by knocking him to the floor, putting a knee on his chest, spitting in his face and threatening to "bite chunks" from his face. Plate was a resident of Bay Harbor Island, near Miami.