Ledesma gets 67 years in prison

Juan Marcos Ledesma, also known as the pillow case burglar, was sentenced to more than 65 years in prison Wednesday in an Auburn courtroom.Ledesma, 46, pleaded no contest to 18 felony counts of burglary and one count of attempted burglary May 1.Judge Robert McElhany sentenced the defendant to 67 years and four months behind bars for his crimes."He will not survive his prison sentence," McElhany said. "He will not breath free air again. He will die in prison."Ledesma, who has an active case of Hepatitis C and had a serious heroin addiction, had been facing 937 years in prison for the Auburn and Placer County burglaries.One of his victims, Judy Maxwell, of Auburn, spoke before Ledesma's sentence was handed down."I want the defendant to know there is a face and a voice to the victims," Maxwell said. "We do feel violated."Ledesma took an heirloom ring from Maxwell among other personal items. He was also responsible for stealing multiple personal items from Auburn-area homes including jewelry, cash and family heirlooms.Prosecutor David Broady argued that the defendant should have been treated as a three-striker.Ledesma has five prior strikes on his record and served multiple prison terms for out-of-county burglaries."In essence (McElhany) treated him as a one-striker on one burglary and on the other 18 crimes he dismissed all strikes," Broady said. "The defendant is clearly a person who is subject to the three-strikes law."The judge disagreed stating that Ledesma appeared thankful that he was arrested, told deputies where his drug needles were hidden so they wouldn't be stuck."Although he has extensive priors, there was no violence and he didn't use weapons," McElhany said. The prosecution has filed an appeal of the decision.A single drop of blood left on a pillowcase at a burglarized Newcastle home led to his Feb. 16, 2006 arrest, after DNA analysis.The defendant asked the court for a moment to address his victim."I'd like to apologize to the victims of my crimes for hurting you and your family and for taking things I shouldn't have," Ledesma said as he looked directly at Maxwell. "I regret everything that ever happened. I have to live with this for the rest of my life."The Journal's Penne Usher can be reached at penneu@goldcountrymedia.com.