Recently, a suspect walked into an open garage on Sandpiper and treated it like a garage sale, according to the Irvine Police Department.
The resident encountered a female suspect walking out of his garage with an armload of stolen property.
The suspect fled, but you know how this ends.
After a quick game of hide and seek, where the police officers clearly had the home team advantage, they found the suspect at a nearby school.
During the investigation, officers learned that the suspect had also attempted to open the front door of a second home, indicating that this was not a one-stop shopping trip.
The officers returned the stolen property to the victim and arrested Jazmin Lopez, 33, of Lake Elsinore, for burglary.
Garage burglaries can occur in mere seconds. Never leave your garage door open and unattended for any period of time.
This was not Lopez’ first arrest. Ten years ago she and her parollee boyfriend, Todd Timothy Kihm, 31, of San Juan Capistrano, were arrested for assaulting and carjacking a Lake Elsinore man and leading Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies on a brief pursuit that ended in a wreck.
Kihm admitted a carjacking count and sentence-enhancing allegations of committing a crime while on parole. In exchange for his admissions, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office dropped six related charges, including felony evading and auto theft.
Lopez admitted an assault resulting in great bodily injury charge, and in exchange, prosecutors dropped carjacking and auto theft allegations against her. She went on to get sentenced to two years in jail.
Clearly Lopez did not learn from her past mistakes.
Potential Criminal Penalties
If convicted of first-degree residential burglary (California Penal Code §459/460), Jazmin Lopez faces the following legal consequences:
- State Prison Sentence: A term of two, four, or six years in California state prison.
- Strike Offense: Residential burglary is considered a “strike” under California’s Three Strikes Law, which can significantly increase penalties for any future felony convictions.
- Fines: She may be ordered to pay fines of up to $10,000.
- Sentencing Credits: Because this is classified as a “serious felony,” defendants are typically required to serve at least 85% of their sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
- Probation Restrictions: California law generally prohibits granting probation for first-degree burglary except in “unusual cases” where the interests of justice would be better served.
Additional Consequences
Beyond direct criminal sentencing, a conviction for residential burglary carries long-term repercussions:
- Professional Licensing: It is a crime of “moral turpitude,” which can lead to the loss of professional licenses (e.g., nursing, teaching, contracting).
- Immigration: For non-citizens, a conviction can trigger immediate deportation proceedings.
- Housing and Loans: A felony record may disqualify individuals from federal housing assistance or federal student loans.