BELLPORT MAN CONVICTED OF VIOLENT ARMED HOME INVASION

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the guilty plea of Miguel Ruiz, age 29, for Burglary in the First Degree.

“The defendant took away this families sense of security by entering their home and assaulting them while they were asleep,” said 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.”

According to court documents on May 7, 2021, at about 3:37 a.m., the defendant, who was armed with a gun, and accomplices kicked in the front door of a Shirley home while a family and their 18-year-old autistic son were inside sleeping. The family was forced to lay face down on the floor at gun point while the crew rummaged through their home. Ruiz pistol whipped the teenager causing lacerations to his face, because he did not respond quickly enough to his commands. The group fled with a small amount of money and the teenager's cell phone.

In addition to Ruiz, the following persons were charged for their participation in the crime. Co-defendant Donte Thomas, age 24, pled guilty to three counts of Burglary in the First Degree and one count of Burglary in the Second Degree, and was sentenced to nine years in prison. Co-defendant Brayan Medrano, age 19, pled guilty to one count of Attempted Burglary in the Second Degree and is pending sentence, and co-defendant Gregg Hogan, age 37, was convicted after a jury trial of three counts of Burglary in the First Degree and one count of Burglary in the Second Degree, and is pending sentence.

This guilty plea was heard before Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei. Ruiz is expected to be sentenced to Ten years in prison followed by Five years of post-release supervision on September 26, 2022. He is being represented by Christopher Brocato, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Sheetal Shetty of the Major Crime Bureau.

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Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments.

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

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