Last two plead guilty in million-dollar burglary string

By: JOHN HALL - Staff Writer | Wednesday, January 3, 2007 9:40 PM PST ∞

FRENCH VALLEY -- Two brothers involved with a gang tied to a series of business burglaries, including ones in Temecula and Menifee, pleaded guilty Wednesday and will soon be on their way to prison.

Three co-defendants have already pleaded guilty in connection with the break-ins.

Included in the burglaries the group were accused of committing were thefts at Schilber's Fine Jewelry on Ynez Road in Temecula in February 2003 and at a medical plaza on Newport Road in Menifee in March 2004.

After the five were arrested nearly three years ago, authorities said the series of crimes in both Riverside and San Bernardino counties netted the group cash and jewelry in excess of $2 million.

On Wednesday, Allen Jerry Andreis, 33, and Alceu Johnny Andreis, 38, both of Banning, entered their guilty pleas before Judge Michael Hider at Southwest Justice Center in French Valley.

Both men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary of a vault or safe using a torch. Both also admitted being part of a criminal street gang when committing their crimes.

Allen Jerry Andreis also pleaded guilty to transportation or sale of an assault weapon.

He agreed to a sentence of 10 years in state prison while his older brother was sentenced to nine years in prison, their defense attorneys said.

Both men could have received sentences nearing 25 years in state prison had they gone to trial and been convicted as charged.

Deputy District Attorney Quinn Baranski could not be reached for comment after Wednesday's hearing.

"This was an equitable plea," Peter Morreale, attorney for Allen Jerry Andreis said.

"This plea should have been reached months, if not years ago," the defense attorney continued. "My client always stood ready to accept responsibility. Unfortunately, it took this long."

Nic Cocis, attorney for the older brother, said part of the lengthy delays had to do with how complicated the case proved to be.

"We had tens of thousands of pages of discovery in the case, along with many CDs of interviews and telephone calls," Cocis said.

Before arrests were made, law enforcement authorities formed a multi-jurisdictional task force to find the burglars. As authorities got closer to solving the crimes, dozens of search warrants were served.

More delays came when the case ended up in the state's Appellate Court after the preliminary hearing was held in April 2004. Judge Rodney Walker found that there was enough evidence for all five defendants to stand trial on numerous charges as well as allegations by prosecutors that the five were part of a criminal street gang -- in this case, ties to Eastern European organized crimes.

Defense attorneys filed a motion to drop the gang allegations and a judge agreed. The Riverside County district attorney's office then appealed that ruling and the Appellate Court decided that, at least for a preliminary hearing, the prosecution had met its burden on the gang counts and reversed the dismissal of those allegations.

Two men and a woman previously entered into plea agreements related to the burglaries. All three pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit burglary of a vault or safe using a torch.

In October 2005, Lora Lee Rogers was sentenced to one year in county jail with credit for time served, according to Superior Court records. She was also sentenced to be on probation for five years.

In October 2006, Lucian Gabriel Isaia and James Rogers entered their guilty pleas and each was sentenced to seven years in state prison, court records state.

-- Contact staff writer John Hall at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2628, or jhall@californian.com.

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