Convicted ELB (Old Lakewood Village Area) House Burglar Sentenced To 15+ Years In State Prison

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(March 18, 2015) -- A 54 year old Long Beach man has pleaded "no contest" to breaking into two East Long Beach homes (Old Lakewood Village neighborhood) in December 2013 after being previously convicted of burglarizing another home over twenty years earlier. The net result: he was handed a sentence of over fifteen years in state prison.

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DA office spokesperson Sarah Ardalani tells LBREPORT.com that the two December 2013 residential burglaries took place in the "Old Lakewood Village" area bounded by Bellflower Blvd-Lakewood Blvds. and Carson St. to Del Amo Blvd.

[LB County DA release text] -- A 54 year-old man convicted of breaking into several homes was sentenced yesterday to 15 years and eight months in state prison, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced.
Epifanio Abraham Gonzalez [age 54] of Long Beach pleaded no contest on Tuesday to two felony counts of first-degree burglary, person present in case NA098641.
Additionally, the defendant admitted that he was previously convicted of first-degree burglary in 1991. Deputy District Attorney Brian Kang, who prosecuted the case, said on Dec. 13, 2013, a homeowner left his residence for work and when he returned found Gonzalez inside
The victim confronted the defendant, at which point Gonzalez exited the residence.
The victim then witnessed Gonzalez go through an alley and leave the area in an older green Honda, the prosecutor added. More than two weeks later, on Dec. 31, 2013, a second homeowner was asleep when he heard a knock at the door, the prosecutor said. The homeowner did not answer, but then heard a noise coming from a bathroom window. The homeowner went to the bathroom window and watched Gonzalez break into the house, the prosecutor added. The victim confronted Gonzalez and the defendant said he was looking for someone before leaving the house through a back door, the prosecutor said. Following the incidents, authorities began an investigation into the burglaries. On March 18, 2014, the defendant was arrested in connection with the crimes.
The prosecutor said fingerprints, as well as property found in Gonzalez's green Honda, linked the defendant to the burglaries.
The case was investigated by the Long Beach Police Department.