Habitual Paramus burglar connected with 40 thefts gets 8 years, will serve 4
By Mary K. Miraglia
HACKENSACK, N.J. (Jan. 27, 2017) — A habitual burglar who was suspected in 40 burglaries will be in state prison four years due to parole ineligibility.
Michael Puig, 27, is already serving time in state prison for an Oakland burglary. Defense attorney Adam Lustberg crafted a very favorable plea to three indictments and one accusation, allowing him to cut a deal with prosecutors for 8 years, 5, 3 and 3 on the charges which are related to burglaries in at least 23 communities in New Jersey and one in New York State. The sentences, pronounced Friday, Jan. 27 in Superior Court by Presiding Judge Susan J. Steele, uphold the plea agreement and are all concurrent, meaning he will serve them at the same time.
Puig told the judge he is guilty. “I am guilty of these crimes and I definitely deserve to serve time in state prison. After all this I’ll be serving close to six years, and I’m afraid I’ll come out and enter a revolving door. My biggest problem is drugs, and it’s hard to take care of myself. Prison is not the healthiest environment — I want opportunity towards treatment. Can the court help me get some treatment so I don’t repeat the same cycle?”
Puig’s attorney, Adam Lustberg, said the plea agreement was “a fair resolution of the matter” and resolves all Puig’s outstanding charges.
Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor David Calviello said Puig had “no remorse” and had been abetted by his father, who allowed him to keep a large volume of stolen property in the house where they lived together.
Calviello, head of the Special Investigations Unit, said if Puig had been convicted at trial in all four cases, due to his record of repeat crimes, he would have been “extended term eligible.” and face a potential sentence of as much as 50 years.
Puig is also entitled to 644 days of “gap” credit, the time between now and his prior sentence. But the four years parole ineligibility will keep him behind bars at least that long.
Puig was arrested Feb. 17, 2105 in South Hackensack, along with co-defendant Gino Manna, 36, of Paterson by police from that South Hackensack and Paramus, and was charged with burglaries in Saddle River and Upper Saddle River. After
After a thorough investigation, the two were charged with burglaries in Allendale, Englewood, Franklin Lakes, Fairfield, Fair Lawn, Hillsdale, Mahwah, Nutley, Oakland, Oceanport, Old Tappan, Parsippany, Pearl River, N.Y., Ridgewood, River Edge, Saddle River, Upper Saddle River, Tinton Falls, Totowa, Verona, Waldwick, Washington Township and Woodcliff Lake.
After executing search warrants, police recovered property suspected to be proceeds of numerous burglaries, including guns, jewelry, electronics, collectables, antique coins, cell phones and a safe.
Photo captions:
#1 — Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor David Calviello, defense attorney Adam Lustberg, defendant Michael Puig.
