DA Hoovler Announces Guilty Pleas in Residential Burglary Cases-14 year prison sentence expected

January 26, 2022

Defendant Pled Guilty to two counts of Burglary in the Second Degree for stealing
from two home in the City of Newburgh

Defendant had been Released following his Arrest on the First of the Burglaries
Due to New York State’s “Bail Reform” Laws

Defendant to be Sentenced to Fourteen Years in State Prison

Defendant Pleads Guilty Immediately Before Trial was to Commence

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Tuesday January 25, 2022, Jesus Vazquez, 41, of Newburgh, pleaded guilty in Orange County Court to two counts of Burglary in the Second Degree, in connection with committing two residential burglaries in the City of Newburgh. The guilty pleas were entered immediately before a jury trial was to commence. Pursuant to the plea agreement placed on the record at the time of the guilty pleas, Vazquez will receive fourteen years in prison on the two charges of Burglary in the Second Degree when he is sentenced on March 14, 2022.

On January 8, 2019, the defendant was stopped by the City of Middletown Police Department while driving a truck that had been reported stolen from the City of Newburgh. The keys to that truck had been stolen from inside of a residence in the City of Newburgh. At the time that he pleaded guilty Vasquez admitted to entering that residence with the intent to steal and further admitted that he stole the keys to the truck. In compliance with the Bail Reform Laws enacted in January 2020, the defendant was released from custody without bail being set. (The laws were subsequently amended to allow bail to be set on residential burglaries.)

On April 6, 2020, defendant was stopped by the City of Newburgh Police Department while carrying a stolen bag with three stolen laptops. The bag and laptops had been stolen from inside of a residence in the City of Newburgh. At the time of his plea Vasquez admitted to entering that residence with the intent to steal property and further admitted that he had stolen the bag and the laptops.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the City of Newburgh Police Department, and the City of Middletown Police Department, for their investigation which resulted in the charges.

District Attorney Hoovler commended Senior Assistant District Attorney Janine Kovacs and Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bennett for handling the prosecution of Vazquez.

“People deserve to feel safe within their residences, and the harm done by residential burglaries extends far beyond the loss of property,” said District Attorney Hoovler. “Those who commit residential burglaries deserve serious incarceration. I hope that the disposition of this case, and the state prison sentence that has been negotiated for this defendant, will deter others who are considering breaking into homes in Orange County.”

A criminal charge is merely an allegation by the police that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.