Hourly Update

Member of East Side burglary ring sentenced to 3.5 years

One of 14 members of an East Side burglary ring was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison Tuesday in Pima County Superior Court. Julio Cesar Alvarez, 23, pleaded guilty to one count each of burglary and possession of stolen property in exchange for multiple other charges being dismissed against him, said Deputy Pima County Attorney Joseph H. Buescher Jr. Alvarez was indicted last fall along with 13 other people after Tucson detectives discovered they had been burglarizing East Side homes and selling the stolen items at pawn shops. TPD put many of the stolen items on display last December and 35 people were able to verify some of the items were theirs, Buescher said. Pawn shop owners estimated they unwittingly paid the suspects approximately $9,500 for the stolen items, Buescher said. Of the 14 people indicted, two have disappeared, one had his case dismissed and the rest have pleaded guilty, Buescher said. Those who have already pleaded guilty have received anywhere from three years probation up to 3 1/2 years in prison, Buescher said. Pima County Superior Court Judge Gus Aragón could have sentenced Alvarez to anywhere from 2 to 8.75 years, Buescher said.