KINGSTON – A Plattekill man who pled guilty in Ulster County Court to an armed home burglary was sentenced as a repeat felony offender to 16 years in state prison.
Ruben Rodriguez, 24, formerly of Forest Park in Plattekill, confessed in court on May 22 to the armed burglary. He also admitted that he was previously convicted of a 2011 felony, making him a repeat felony offender resulting in his sentencing by Judge Donald Williams to 16 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision.
Rodriguez had confessed in court that he and David Valenzuela committed a home burglary with a loaded gun in September of last year on Route 44/55 in the Town of Plattekill.
Rodriguez held a loaded gun as the two men entered and ransacked the apartment and stole personal property.
After the burglary, the men ran to their get-away car, which was parked in an adjacent driveway.
The unsuspecting owner of that home pulled into his driveway, blocking the get-away vehicle from leaving, but Rodriguez threatened him with the gun and fired a shot into the front passenger door of the man’s car. The man’s car was damaged but no one was hurt.
After they fled, the man called 911 to report the incident.
State Police at Highland investigated leading to the arrests of Rodriguez and Valenzuela. The sentencing for Valenzuela is expected this summer.
Rodriguez was sentenced on Thursday.
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