A Central Florida man entered an open plea to the court ahead of a felony trial for burglary.
Earlier this month, 40-year-old Ashley Jerome Oliver Santiago entered an open plea to the Court before Judge Joel D. Fritton just minutes before jurors were scheduled to hear the state’s evidence against the defendant. Santiago was charged with two counts of Burglary of a Structure, two counts of Felony Petit Theft, and one count of Criminal Mischief.
After a brief discussion with his attorney, Santiago entered the open plea in lieu of going to trial and was sentenced to seven years in prison, followed by three years of felony probation.
“The defendant’s repeated criminal behavior shows a clear disregard for the law,” stated Chief Assistant State Attorney Walter Forgie. “After recently serving time, he chose to reoffend instead of reform. This sentence will hold him accountable for his actions and protect our community from further victimization.”
Santiago, who had just been recently released from jail, and was designated as a habitual felony offender, faced burglary charges related to two incidents that occurred at a residence in Inverness on November 15 and 16, 2024. He faced a third charge of felony petit theft for a crime at a nearby business located off East Gulf to Lake Highway.
The victim of the residence advised officers with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) that earlier in the day an unknown man wearing a black shirt and black and blue shorts had stolen a Craftsman trimmer from the shed in the backyard. The victim indicated this was the same individual who had also attempted to enter their home earlier in the morning after puncturing a hole in the front porch screen before being confronted by the victim. The victim was able to provide video footage from the home.
The following day, officials were called back out to the residence after the victim spotted the defendant in the area. Law enforcement contacted Santiago who was carrying the same clothing as described by the victim and observed on the video footage. Santiago was arrested and booked into the Lecanto Detention Facility.
Just five days later, the business owner of Mattress by Appointment contacted CCSO to report a past theft. The owner stated that when they arrived at the business, they noticed the front door was unlocked and that the company’s laptop was missing. The surveillance footage at the business showed Santiago enter the building and upon seeing no one, reach for the laptop before concealing it in his bag and leaving.
The stolen laptop, which was not listed as stolen at the time of his first arrest, was in his possession. The item was collected and turned into evidence. Santiago, who was still in custody, was charged with the additional offense of felony petit theft.
Assistant State Attorneys Elizabeth Colombrito and Patsey Jacobs ensured the prosecution of this case.
