(Photo Source: Unsplash).
A Cortland County man was sentenced to five years in prison (with an additional five years of post-release supervision) for his second-degree burglary charge (a felony) in county court on Tuesday.
Santo E. Oliver, 46, entered into a plea agreement in July of this year for his burglary arrest back in January of 2020. According to court documents, the arrest came after he took part in stealing a safe that held nearly $500,000 in cash from a home on Sunnyfield Drive in the city of Cortland.
Oliver initially rejected a plea in July, but pleaded guilty once county judge David Alexander scheduled his trial by jury in August of next year.
The plea agreement dismissed Oliver’s other charge of second-degree larceny (also a felony). Oliver was also acquitted of an unrelated felony charge where he and another man were accused of stealing a tractor and other equipment worth more than $40,000 from a farm in Harford back in March of 2019. Oliver also had multiple misdemeanors dismissed from his record.
The other man was Glen L. Brenchley, 46, of Kingsley Avenue in the city. Brenchley was sentenced to a year in prison for his part in the tractor theft.
Defense attorney Christopher Thorpe said in county court on Tuesday that Oliver takes “full responsibility for his actions” and “doesn’t deviate from the situation.”
District attorney Patrick Perfetti noted Oliver has a “considerable criminal history,” one that dates back to 1993.
Oliver announced in court that he will not appeal his conviction. He declined to further comment on his sentencing. Judge Alexander mentioned that Oliver was exonerated from bail.
