A Stanhope NJ man recently pleaded guilty to breaking into a Hopatcong New Jersey home.
According to the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office, the 34-year-old suspect entered the guilty pleas in Sussex County Superior Court in Newton, New Jersey.
The charges stemmed from an incident in February. The suspect allegedly entered a residence on Harris Avenue in Hopatcong NJ. Once he was inside the home, the suspect reportedly ate a banana and stole some gum.
A neighbor who noticed the suspect entering the unoccupied home called Hopatcong NJ police, which dispatched officers to the area. When police officers got to the scene, they heard noises coming from inside the house. That’s when police discovered the suspect inside the residence.
The suspect opened the front door; however, he reportedly became nervous when police instructed him to get on the ground. The suspect allegedly resisted arrest, but police were able to subdue him.
According to prosecutors in the case, the suspect gained entry to the residence “without the owner’s knowledge or consent.”
The suspect has now pleaded guilty to a number of charges, including resisting arrest, criminal trespass, and a probation violation.
The suspect will have to return to Sussex County Superior Court on July 10 for formal sentencing. Depending upon the exact terms of the plea deal, the suspect faces significant penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:18-3, the unlicensed entry of a structure can be classified as a disorderly persons offense and lead to a sentence of up to 6 months in county jail.
To learn more about this case, check out the NJ.com article entitled “Burglar Who Ate Banana, Stole Gum Pleads Guilty.”