Undocumented immigrant gets three years in prison, could be
deported after serving sentence
Hollister – The Hollister man convicted for his role in a large-scale burglary and fencing operation that included the theft of eight Golden Labrador retriever puppies last year was sentenced to more than three years in prison this week.
Sergio Covarrubias, 37, pleaded guilty to felony charges of possession of stolen property, burglary and possession of methamphetamine and was sentenced to three years and eight months in the California Department of Corrections Wednesday.
Covarrubias, who is an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, was arrested after Hollister police uncovered a large burglary and fencing operation following a day-time residential burglary and the theft of eight puppies last October, which led to the seizure of $100,000 of stolen property, according to police. Six of the eight puppies were later recovered, along with a variety of items from clothing to jewelry to electronics.
After serving his prison sentence, Covarrubias could be deported to Mexico, said San Benito County Public Defender Harry Damkar, who represented Covarrubias. Bit Damkar said he thought the sentence was fair.
“I think it was an appropriate legal sentence given the fact that he pleaded guilty,” he said. “I believe the judge was very fair.”
Damkar said Covarrubias got involved with the burglary ring to support his methamphetamine habit. When arrested in
“When you have a drug problem, that causes people to get involved with theft,” he said. “He’s as much of a victim as he’s a suspect. He was victimized by the drug. Meth hurts not only users, but everyone.”
Police first arrested Hollister resident Martha Castaneda, who was in possession of some of the stolen property, which led to three more arrests – Covarrubias, his wife Antonia and local resident Sergio Torres, who has not been charged with any crimes, according to court documents. All four were part of the burglary ring that detectives linked to six burglaries during a three-month period in 2005, according to police.
Covarrubias’ prison sentence was based in part on a report by the San Benito County Probation Department. Covarrubias was deemed “unsuitable for probation” because he never took responsibility for his crimes, and the manner in which the crimes were carried out demonstrated *”criminal sophistication and professionalism” on his part, according to the report. Covarrubias also blamed the stolen property on his two children, alleging they brought it home, according to the probation report.
While he admitted to being addicted to methamphetamine, he told officials he only pleaded guilty to the crimes to get his wife released from jail, according to the report.
His wife was fined $915 for her role in the crimes. Covarrubias told police that he bought some of the stolen property from Castaneda, and that she gave him the puppies. Castaneda was sentenced last week to 180 days in the San Benito County Jail for her role in the burglary ring.
During her sentencing hearing, she apologized to the victims, blaming her involvement in the burglaries on addiction to methamphetamine. In addition to her jail time, she will have to pay restitution to the people she stole from, complete five years of probation and undergo treatment for drug addiction. A restitution for Castaneda has not been set.
Damkar said each person involved in the operation had a different role in the burglary ring and different culpability.
San Benito County District Attorney John Sarsfield said he was pleased with the outcome of the case.
“I’m happy with the way this whole thing turned out,” he said. “But sentencing is primarily a court thing.”
