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Brayan Castano, 33, of Elmhurst, Queens, was convicted on Friday, Oct. 22 in a jury trial of seven counts of burglary in the second degree, attempted burglary in the second degree, and possession of burglar’s tools.
Castano was acquitted of one count of burglary in the second degree. The trial began on Monday, Sept. 20. The jury deliberated for just over a day before rendering a verdict. Castano is due back for sentencing Tuesday, Jan. 11.
The case against co-defendant Andres Zapata is pending. Another co-defendant, Oscar Vera, pleaded guilty for his role in the pattern burglary ring and is awaiting sentence.
“Brayan Castano and his co-defendants invaded the homes of several families and stole their peace of mind and more than $1 million in cash and currency during a five-month burglary spree,” Acting Nassau County DA Joyce A. Smith said. “More families would have been victimized and the spree would have continued without the expert work of the NCPD, who caught Castano red-handed as he burglarized a home in Jericho and arrested him, and my prosecutors who successfully tried this case.”
Between May 2018 and September 2018, Castano and his co-defendants burglarized or attempted to burglarize nine houses in gated communities on the North Shore of Nassau County, stealing more than $1 million worth of other people’s property, including US currency, foreign currency, jewelry, and designer handbags, the indictment said.
The burglary ring specifically chose gated communities with one entrance into and out of the community., Smith noted.
"A lookout was stationed at the gate so that if police responded to the home being burglarized the crew member could alert accomplices that cops were nearby," Smith said. "All nine incidents occurred on a Friday or Saturday night and the defendants entered the homes through breaking rear windows or doors."
The trio burglarized homes in Old Westbury, Manhasset, Jericho, and Woodbury, Smith said.
Castano was arrested in September 2018 by members of the Nassau County Police Department.
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