Man gets prison boot camp for second burglary conviction

A Wildwood man was sentenced to six years in prison Friday for his second burglary conviction.

John Goik, 21, will have the chance to earn his freedom in as little as six months if he completes the prison “boot camp” program.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney George Pappas said sheriff's deputies were called to a house in the 33000 block of Sears Boulevard around 3:20 a.m. on July 1 when a neighbor saw two men breaking into the house.

Deputies arrived and caught Chester Biggs, 32, inside the house carrying two nail guns and a window air conditioning unit, Pappas said.

The deputies also saw a second man running from the house with a bag in his hand, Pappas said, but were unable to catch him.

Biggs, of the 17000 block of Cheyenne Court, later identified the man as Goik, of the 33000 block of Mill Road, Pappas said.

Goik pleaded guilty to burglary Sept. 24 in exchange for a promise he would not be sentenced to more than six years in prison.

Assistant Public Defender asked Circuit Judge John Phillips to sentence Goik to the boot camp program, a military-style training course that stresses personal responsibility.

Pappas asked Phillips to impose a straight prison sentence, saying Goik had shown no interest in turning his life around since he unsuccessfully completed a term of probation for a 2007 burglary conviction.

Phillips told Goik he would not even consider the boot camp option if a probation officer who filed a report on Goik for the court had not recommended it.

Although he agreed to give Goik another chance, Phillips warned Goik he would face up to 30 years behind bars if he was convicted of burglary again.

“I don't know why so many people who commit crimes think they are going to get away with it,” Phillips told Goik. “And you should know that if you do this again, you are going to get caught because quite frankly you are just no good at it.”

Biggs has pleaded not guilty to burglary and is due to appear in court Nov. 9