| For Immediate Release Case # 09NF3342
January 4, 2010 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
TWO MEN SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS STATE PRISON FOR BREAKING INTO HOME OF FBI AGENT THROUGH PARTIALLY-OPEN GARAGE DOOR
FULLERTON – Two men were convicted today of breaking into the home of an off-duty Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent through a partially-open garage door. Jeffrey Michael Drach, 20, Yorba Linda, and Justin Wesley Case, 21, Placentia, pleaded guilty to one felony count each of first degree residential burglary with a sentencing enhancement for a non-accomplice present during a residential burglary. Drach and Case were each sentenced to two years in state prison.
At approximately 2:00 a.m. on Nov. 18, 2009, Drach and Case entered the residence of James M. through a partially-open garage door. The victim, an FBI agent, was awake and had temporarily exited his home through the garage door to get his canine from the back yard prior to an early morning briefing.
When James M. returned to his garage, Drach and Case were standing inside. The victim identified himself as a law enforcement officer and ordered the defendants to stop. One of the defendants physically struggled with James M. before both Drach and Case fled the scene in a nearby car. The victim approached the car and attempted to stop the defendants, firing at the vehicle as they fled the scene. Drach and Case were not injured.
The victim immediately called 9-1-1 and the Brea Police Department and FBI responded to the scene. Later that morning, a citizen called 9-1-1 to report a suspicious car parked outside of their home, which was approximately two miles from James M.’s home. The car was identified as the vehicle used during the burglary of James M.’s home and Drach and Case and arrested that morning.
Deputy District Attorney Keith Bogardus of the Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted this case.
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