NORTHAMPTON – A Springfield man admitted Monday in court to breaking into two area homes in February 2016 and stealing musical instruments and jewelry.
Roberto Hernandez, 51, pleaded guilty in Hampshire Superior Court to breaking and entering a building in the daytime with intent to commit a felony, breaking and entering a building in the daytime with intent to commit a felony and putting a person in fear and larceny from a building.
The charges stem from two separate incidents in Northampton and Easthampton. As part of the plea deal, habitual criminal offender charges were dropped.
In the Easthampton case, police were called to the residence on Stone Path Lane on Feb. 26 after a resident interrupted Hernandez breaking down the door. The resident told police she saw a truck with ladders on it leave the area.
Hernandez was arrested by the Easthampton Police Department shortly after the incident on the same day after police caught up with him on the Interstate 91 southbound on-ramp in Holyoke. At the time of his arrest, police seized his shoes.
Assistant Northwestern district attorney Jeremy Bucci said a footprint was found outside of a home in Northampton where a break-in occurred about two weeks earlier on Forbes Avenue. In that case, a home was broken into and several items were taken including musical instruments and a “one-of-a-kind” broach, Bucci said.
A photo from a pawn shop in Springfield shows Hernandez selling the broach, Bucci said in court.
Hernandez is expected to be sentenced in July.
Bucci presented what he said was an agreed upon disposition that would sentence Hernandez to three to fours years in state prison followed by a year of probation. During that probation, Hernandez would have conditions that he remain drug free or face 2 ½ additional years in prison.
Defense attorney Patrick Melnik Jr. told the judge it was Hernandez’s recommendation to add the stayed sentence to his probationary period.
Hernandez has had a heroin abuse problem since he was 20 years old, defense attorney Lisa S. Lippiello said. At 51, his recent incarceration is the longest he has been without heroin, she added.
Hernandez has been held on $50,000 cash bail since Feb. 26, 2016. He is also held on $5,000 in the Northampton case.
Emily Cutts can be reached at ecutts@gazettenet.com.