Negotiated pleas taken by 10 suspects (Trading Markets c/o McClatchy-Tribune)

Negotiated pleas taken by 10 suspects
Thu. September 03, 2009; Posted: 03:15 PM
Sep 03, 2009 (The Reporter - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX)

Ten men suspected of being part of a statewide theft ring that targets Home Depot stores pleaded guilty and no contest to burglary and stolen property charges Wednesday in Solano County Superior Court.

The 10 were arrested by Vacaville police on Aug. 14 after Home Depot loss prevention personnel reported them trying to take property from the Orange Drive store. After teams of police rounded up the suspects, they found two sport utility vehicles and a van in the Homes Depot parking lot, all of them filled with suspected stolen property, including tools and electrical components.

According to police and the Solano County District Attorney's Office, the suspects may have been part of a well-organized and mobile group that struck at Home Depot stores throughout the state, working in teams to quickly repackage, remove and resell property from the stores.

The men initially had been charged with burglary, possessing stolen property and criminal conspiracy. A preliminary hearing into the charges began Tuesday before Superior Court Judge Michael Mattice but ended Wednesday when all of the suspects agreed to accept negotiated pleas in the case.

Defendants Osman, Rogoberto and Nelson Rodriguez all pleaded no contest to one count of second-degree commercial burglary. As a result of their pleas, stolen property and conspiracy charges were dropped. They're likely to receive probationary sentences with no more than 90 days in jail. They're scheduled for sentencing at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 1.

Defendants Erving-Garcia Varela, Jose Gomez, Antonine Joseph Franklin and Charles David Wood also entered pleas Friday and also are due for sentencing on Oct. 1.

An eighth defendant, Hector Rodriguez, pleaded no contest to one count of possessing stolen property. As result of his plea, charges of burglary and criminal conspiracy were dropped. He likely to receive a probationary sentence and any jail sentence will be capped at 90 days. Sentencing was set for 1:30 a.m. Oct. 19.

Norman Ignacio Telleria pleaded no contest to one count of second-degree commercial burglary. Pending charges of possessing stolen property, criminal conspiracy, unlawful use of personal identifying information and unlawful use of a driver's license were dismissed. He's likely to receive a probationary sentence and no more than nine months in county jail. Sentencing was set for 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 26.

Also entering a no-contest plea to second-degree commercial burglary was John Jemal Johnson. After the plea, charges of possessing stolen property and criminal conspiracy were dropped. He, too, is likely to receive a probationary sentence with no more than 90 days in county jail. Sentence is set for 8:30 a.m. Oct. 1.

In addition to the Home Depot case, immigration charges are pending against all but Wood, Johnson and Franklin, according to the DA's office.