Gurnee resort car burglars plead guilty

Four Waukegan teens accused of breaking into cars parked at the Key Lime Cove resort in Gurnee pleaded guilty Monday in Lake County Circuit Court.

Associate Judge George Bridges sentenced all four to two years on probation after accepting their pleas to criminal trespass to a motor vehicle.

Assistant State's Attorney Brett Henne said the four were in a vehicle stopped by Gurnee police for speeding on the night of April 3. After the officer found a pellet gun in the car, all four teens were searched and the proceeds from several car burglaries were found.

Diego Ochoa, 19, of the 200 block of South Butrick Street; Marlan Nunez, 17, of the 1500 block of Murfield Avenue; Jacob Oropeda, 19, of the 600 block of South Butrick; and Eric Flores, 19, of the 600 block of Messena Avenue were arrested at the scene.

Police discovered the group had broken into nine cars parked at the resort, primarily by breaking one of the side windows in each vehicle.

The teens stole portable music players, digital cameras, GPS units and portable CD players, Henne said, all of which were recovered by police.

They were originally charged with burglary, but Henne said he agreed to reduce the charge against them in exchange for their guilty pleas.

In addition to placing them on probation, Bridges ordered each of the four to pay a $100 fine, perform 100 hours of community service and pay $1,814 in restitution.