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Bellport resident Miguel Ruiz, age 29, pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary Thursday, Aug. 11, in Suffolk County court.
Prosecutors said Ruiz, a known member of the Bloods street gang, was armed with a gun when he and six other men kicked in the victims’ Shirley home at around 3:30 a.m. on May 7, 2021.
Prosecutors said the group forced the family, which included their 18-year-old autistic son, to lay face down on the floor at gunpoint while the crew ransacked their home.
According to reports, the group incorrectly believed there was $100,000 worth of marijuana inside.
At one point during the ordeal, Ruiz pistol whipped the teen, cutting his face, because he did not respond fast enough to Ruiz’s commands, prosecutors said.
The group ended up fleeing the home with just a small amount of cash and the teen’s cell phone.
“The defendant took away this family's sense of security by entering their home and assaulting them while they were asleep,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney.
“We want to make sure that no other family has to ever go through anything like this again by holding Mr. Ruiz responsible for his actions.”
Ruiz faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on Monday, Sept. 26.
Also there that night was 37-year-old Greg Hogan, a well-known rapper who goes by the name Frenchie and is credited with helping to discover Nicki Minaj. Hogan was sentenced to 25 years in prison in July 2022 after a jury convicted him of multiple counts of robbery.
Donte Thomas, age 24, was sentenced to nine years behind bars after pleading guilty to four counts of burglary.
A fourth defendant, Brayan Medrano, age 19, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted burglary and is awaiting sentencing.
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