With jury selection about to begin in a burglary trial, two (2) of the three (3) men accused of committing an April 2011 burglary in Bridgewater pleaded guilty to the charges against them.

43-year-old Teaneck resident Jason Mikell and his nephew, 26-year-old Teaneck resident Diandre Mikell, pleaded guilty to burglarizing a Hodge Drive house on April 14, 2011. The men admitted in court to having stolen jewelry from the house and causing property damage.

According to an arrest affidavit, authorities identified the suspects during a Bergen County Burglary Task Force investigation into a burglary crew that was targeting homes in northern New Jersey. A GPS monitoring system allowed officers to track a Nissan Altima to Bridgewater, where officers arrested the suspects.

The charges against the men included burglary, criminal mischief, and resisting arrest. Both defendants are hoping to receive lesser sentences in exchange for their guilty pleas.

If Jason Mikell and Diandre Mikell had gone to trial, they could have been looking at

Burglary in New Jersey is governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2. The statute stipulates that burglary is a third degree felony, unless a person is injured during the burglary or the burglar is armed. Accordingly, Jason Mikell and Diandre Mikell could have been looking at up to five (5) years in state prison had they gone to trial.

As a result of the guilty pleas, the only remaining defendant, 32-year-old Teaneck resident Jerry Montgomery, proceeded to trial by himself. Jury selection began last week.

For more information, see the NJ.com article entitled “Two of the Three Bergen County Men Accused in Bridgewater Burglary Plead Guilty.“