PATCHOGUE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO BURGLARY

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Christopher Volpe, 44, of Patchogue, pleaded guilty to Burglary in the Third Degree for leading and being a part of a trio that burglarized five Suffolk County Dunkin’ Donuts franchises in 2022.

“This defendant admitted to breaking into these businesses and now he’s going to face justice,” said District Attorney Tierney. “These types of crimes not only violate the law, but they also negatively affect our quality of life in Suffolk County. Businesses that are repeatedly targeted, either leave neighborhoods or raise their prices and this inevitably impacts the quality of life in our communities across Suffolk County.”

According to court documents and the defendant’s statements during his plea allocution, between December 28, 2022, and January 20, 2023, Volpe burglarized five Dunkin’ Donuts locations with the help of co-defendants Michael Gruber, 54, of Medford and Kristen Osmolia, 52, of Holbrook. Gruber drove Volpe and Osmolia to and from each of the burglary locations.

Once there, Volpe pried open the back doors of the locations while the businesses were closed, and stole money from cash drawers, boxes, and safes. During the last three burglaries, Osmolia allegedly acted as a lookout, and assisted with stealing money from inside one of the locations.

Volpe led the group to burglarize the following Dunkin’ Donuts locations:

• December 28, 2022 – 5050 Nesconset Highway, East Setauket.
• December 30, 2022 – 430 N. Country Road, Saint James.
• January 2, 2023 – 235 W. Main Street, Smithtown.
• January 3, 2023 – 411 Furrows Road, Holbrook.
• January 20, 2023 – 1105J Horseblock Road, Farmingville.

Investigators with the Suffolk County Police Department linked Gruber’s 2019 Chevrolet Equinox to each of the burglaries and apprehended the defendants in the moments following their last heist in Farmingville on January 20, 2022. In total, Volpe, Gruber, and Osmolia collectively stole approximately $6,500 from all five locations. Of that total, approximately $4,500 was recovered subsequent to the arrest of the defendants.

On September 7, 2023, Volpe pleaded guilty before Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable John B. Collins to two counts of Burglary in the Third Degree, Class D felonies, in satisfaction of the indictment charging him with five counts of Burglary in the Third Degree. Volpe is due back in court on October 13, 2023, for sentencing. He is expected to be sentenced to 5 to 10 years in prison. Volpe is being represented by Anthony Rutkowski, Esq. Gruber, who was charged with five counts of Burglary in the Third Degree, a Class D felony, pleaded guilty to one count of Burglary in the Third Degree in satisfaction of the indictment on May 31, 2023. Gruber is awaiting sentencing and is being represented by Robert Dapelo, Esq.

Osmolia is charged with three counts of Burglary in the Third Degree, a Class D felony and is being held on $250,000 cash bail, $500,000 fully insured bond, and $1,000,000 partially secured surety bond. Osmolia is represented by Steven Wilutis, Esq. Her next court date is September 13, 2023. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Carlos J. Benitez II of the Major Crime Bureau with investigative assistance from Detective Michael Stella of the Major Case Squad.

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Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.

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