LAKEPORT ? A 19-year-old Lakeport man pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary Friday and admitted he broke into Visions of Avatar and stole marijuana among other items.
Brandon Saulter faces up to three years in state prison.
Deputy district attorney Alan Upton then dismissed the other charges against Saulter.
Reginald Mills, 21, and Saulter were originally charged with first-degree burglary, possession of stolen property and misdemeanor possession of burglary tools. Mills has an additional parole violation charge. Saulter was charged with petty theft and an unrelated misdemeanor.
Mills waived his preliminary hearing in order to allow the District Attorney”s Office to review an offer his attorney made.
Saulter admitted to a Lake County Sheriff”s officer Jan. 5 that about 10 p.m. Jan. 4 he pried back the tin siding of Visions of Avatar on Soda Bay Road to gain access. Saulter said he stole marijuana from a locked box, pipes and rolling papers.
A Lakeport police officer saw Saulter and Mills walking down the street about an hour later, searched them as Mills was on parole and Saulter had a warrant, and found stolen property, Lt. Brad Rasmussen of Lakeport police said.
Starting in November, burglars stole from 12 Lakeport businesses, one of those twice and attempted to break into other stores, Rasmussen said.
Lakeport police found jewelry from a Dec. 24 burglary of The Healing Earth while searching Mills” residence during the ongoing investigation of commercial burglaries in Lakeport, Rasmussen said.
The Healing Earth owner identified seven pieces of jewelry found as coming from the store, Rasmussen said. Mills is scheduled to return to court 8:15 a.m. Feb. 1 for arraignment information.
Judge Richard Martin lowered Saulter”s bail to $10,000. Both men remain in custody at the Lake County Jail. Saulter will return to court 9 a.m. Feb. 19 for sentencing.
Contact Katy Sweeny at ksweeny@record-bee.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
