A 22-year-old man was indicted by a grand jury Monday for allegedly burglarizing eight homes in two Nassau County towns in less than a month.
Carlos Morinville pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree burglary, criminal possession of a weapon, menacing and other crimes. Attorney information wasn't immediately available.
Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas alleges Morinville's burglary spree started the afternoon of June 4, when she says he entered a Westbury apartment and stole money and jewelry. Six days later, he allegedly broke into a New Castle home and stole electronics.
The morning after that, Singas alleges Morinville broke into another New Cassel home and stole money, jewelry and electronics. The fourth burglary in the pattern was June 13, when he allegedly broke into another Westbury home and stole computer products.
Morinville allegedly struck again on June 19, June 22 and June 25 -- taking a watch and computer products from one Westbury home, a video game system, bike, clothing, watch and other items from another in the neighborhood and jewelry from a third.
He was arrested following an alleged burglary attempt June 29, when authorities accuse Morinville of breaking into a New Cassel home and sneaking into the basement. A 65-year-old woman in the home noticed the basement light was on and encountered Morinville. Morinville pulled out a box cutter and motioned toward a 73-year-old man who was also in the home; the man called 911 and Morinville was taken into custody by responding officers, prosecutors said.
"The defendant allegedly went on a month-long burglary spree terrorizing the communities of Westbury and New Cassel," Singas said in a statement. "Thankfully, a brave senior citizen detained the defendant long enough for police officers to arrest him."
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Morinville faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top charge against him. He was remanded for a violation of probation on another matter and bail on the indictment charges was set at $100,000 cash.
