Man accepts plea deal, boot camp, in Lindenhurst home, car break-ins
A man accused of burglarizing several Lindenhurst homes and vehicles last August pleaded guilty to a single count of theft and was sentenced to two years in prison Wednesday.
Joshua Joyce, 20, of the 200 block of Beck Road in Lindenhurst, was also given a recommendation by Lake County Judge George Bridges to join the Illinois Impact Incarceration Program — also known as prison boot camp — rather than spend the next two years in a jail cell.
Under the guidelines of the program, Joyce will turn himself in to authorities Jan. 22 and be transported to the Illinois Department of Corrections while waiting for a spot in the boot camp program to open. After being accepted to the program, he will be transferred to and take part in the boot camp for 12 weeks.
Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Matt DeMartini said, should Joyce successfully complete the program, he would be released from prison and sent home. If Joyce is unsuccessfully discharged from the boot camp program, he will be transferred to prison and will complete his two-year sentence.
Attorney Daniel Zeit and Joyce did not comment following his plea deal Wednesday.
Joyce was initially charged with 10 counts of residential burglary, burglary, theft and criminal damage to property stemming from a string of break-ins near his neighborhood Aug. 6.
Police said Joyce broke into several homes, garages and cars on Egret Court and Rolling Ridge Lane. Police said he went from house to house, stealing from unlocked cars and residences.
Police said a GPS unit, radar detectors, a laptop computer, a video game, and credit cards were stolen.
Authorities said a neighbor of a victim spotted Joyce's vehicle in the neighborhood during the burglary spree, recorded the license plate number and gave it to police.
If he had been found guilty on the most serious residential burglary charge, Joyce could have spent up to 15 years in prison.
Joyce has been free from jail after posting 10 percent of his $50,000 bail.