AUBURN - An Auburn man will serve time in jail for participating in a string of burglaries last fall and for stealing money from former employers.
Judge Mark Fandrich sentenced John T. Donovan Jr., 33, Tuesday in Cayuga County Court to shock probation, which includes four months in county jail and five years of probation. Donovan, of 29 Walnut St., pleaded guilty in June to felony charges of burglary and larceny.
He admitted at the time to driving and waiting outside of Auburn's Quality Rental while Dale Cuddeback, also of Auburn, was inside stealing cash. Both men were former employees of the business.
Police have said the burglary was recorded on a makeshift security camera concealed in a Christmas tree.
Donovan also admitted to stealing checks from another former employer, Top Dog Funding.
He will have to pay more than $1,800 in restitution, though a hearing will take place Oct. 13 to determine the full amount.
Before Fandrich announced the sentence, defense attorney Joseph Sapio recommended either straight probation or allowing Donovan to spend weekends in jail. Donovan is currently employed at a new company, Sapio said, and he was willing to cooperate with the district attorney's office in its case against Cuddeback.
“(He) has accepted responsibility for his actions,” Sapio said.
Donovan also apologized in a statement to the court.
Also in court:
• A Moravia teenager will go to prison and will not receive youthful offender status for trying to rob an Auburn convenience store. Joel Ayers, 17, of 8 Liberty Drive, Moravia, was sentenced to six years in prison and five years of post-release supervision.
Ayers pleaded guilty last month to first-degree attempted robbery, admitting that he walked into the Kwik Fill store on State Street on June 29 with a pillow case over his head and threatened the clerk with a knife.
According to prosecutors, he took approximately $50.
District Attorney Jon Budelmann said Tuesday that Ayers has a long list of prior interactions with the judicial system and he committed the act shortly after leaving a juvenile detention facility.
The woman who was the clerk at the time of the incident made a statement to the court, saying she does not believe it is fair Ayers pleaded to attempted robbery instead of just robbery.
“The decisions (he) made do not just affect him,” she said. “This is something I'm going to have to deal with for the rest of my life, as well.”
Ayers also made an apology in court.
• A former Cayuga County Sheriff's deputy who had worked at the jail and admitted to two separate sex crimes was sentenced to six months in jail and 10 years of probation.
Andrew Sleight, 21, of 7179 Chestnut Ridge Road, Auburn, must also undergo a review of his risk status as a sex offender.
Sleight previously pleaded guilty to second-degree rape and second-degree criminal sex act for having sex with a girl younger than 15 on March 1 and also having unlawful sexual contact with a girl on Dec. 1.
• Duane Whitaker, 20, of 10 Nelson St., Auburn, was sentenced to six months in jail and five years of probation for selling drugs. Whitaker previously pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
• John Drooney, 43, 23 Beech St., Johnson City, pleaded guilty to third-degree attempted burglary. Drooney admitted that he tried to break into a building on Seminary Street in Auburn on July 15.
He is expected to receive a sentence of six months in jail and five years of probation. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 10.
• Robert Chadwick, 45, of 413 Jordan St., Skaneateles, pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary. Chadwick admitted that in April he tried to steal prescription drugs from a Kinney Drugs in Moravia.
He is expected to receive a sentence of shock probation and drug court.
• A teenager was granted youthful offender status after pleading guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. The 18-year-old man will still have to serve a year and a half of incarceration and a year of post-release supervision.
• James Bentley, 26, of 312 North Marvine Ave., Auburn, was sentenced to 60 days in jail and five years of probation. Bentley previously pleaded guilty to criminal contempt and criminal mischief.
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311
ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net.
He admitted at the time to driving and waiting outside of Auburn's Quality Rental while Dale Cuddeback, also of Auburn, was inside stealing cash. Both men were former employees of the business.
Police have said the burglary was recorded on a makeshift security camera concealed in a Christmas tree.
Donovan also admitted to stealing checks from another former employer, Top Dog Funding.
He will have to pay more than $1,800 in restitution, though a hearing will take place Oct. 13 to determine the full amount.
Before Fandrich announced the sentence, defense attorney Joseph Sapio recommended either straight probation or allowing Donovan to spend weekends in jail. Donovan is currently employed at a new company, Sapio said, and he was willing to cooperate with the district attorney's office in its case against Cuddeback.
“(He) has accepted responsibility for his actions,” Sapio said.
Donovan also apologized in a statement to the court.
Also in court:
• A Moravia teenager will go to prison and will not receive youthful offender status for trying to rob an Auburn convenience store. Joel Ayers, 17, of 8 Liberty Drive, Moravia, was sentenced to six years in prison and five years of post-release supervision.
Ayers pleaded guilty last month to first-degree attempted robbery, admitting that he walked into the Kwik Fill store on State Street on June 29 with a pillow case over his head and threatened the clerk with a knife.
According to prosecutors, he took approximately $50.
District Attorney Jon Budelmann said Tuesday that Ayers has a long list of prior interactions with the judicial system and he committed the act shortly after leaving a juvenile detention facility.
The woman who was the clerk at the time of the incident made a statement to the court, saying she does not believe it is fair Ayers pleaded to attempted robbery instead of just robbery.
“The decisions (he) made do not just affect him,” she said. “This is something I'm going to have to deal with for the rest of my life, as well.”
Ayers also made an apology in court.
• A former Cayuga County Sheriff's deputy who had worked at the jail and admitted to two separate sex crimes was sentenced to six months in jail and 10 years of probation.
Andrew Sleight, 21, of 7179 Chestnut Ridge Road, Auburn, must also undergo a review of his risk status as a sex offender.
Sleight previously pleaded guilty to second-degree rape and second-degree criminal sex act for having sex with a girl younger than 15 on March 1 and also having unlawful sexual contact with a girl on Dec. 1.
• Duane Whitaker, 20, of 10 Nelson St., Auburn, was sentenced to six months in jail and five years of probation for selling drugs. Whitaker previously pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
• John Drooney, 43, 23 Beech St., Johnson City, pleaded guilty to third-degree attempted burglary. Drooney admitted that he tried to break into a building on Seminary Street in Auburn on July 15.
He is expected to receive a sentence of six months in jail and five years of probation. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 10.
• Robert Chadwick, 45, of 413 Jordan St., Skaneateles, pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary. Chadwick admitted that in April he tried to steal prescription drugs from a Kinney Drugs in Moravia.
He is expected to receive a sentence of shock probation and drug court.
• A teenager was granted youthful offender status after pleading guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. The 18-year-old man will still have to serve a year and a half of incarceration and a year of post-release supervision.
• James Bentley, 26, of 312 North Marvine Ave., Auburn, was sentenced to 60 days in jail and five years of probation. Bentley previously pleaded guilty to criminal contempt and criminal mischief.
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311
ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net.
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