Burglary suspect sentenced

An Alexandria man who pleaded guilty to committing a series of residential burglaries in Alexandria last February and March was recently sentenced in Douglas County District Court.

Cody Eugene Pedersen, 28, initially faced 20 counts involving burglary, criminal damage to property, child endangerment and contributing to the delinquency of a child.

After a plea agreement, Douglas County District Judge Dave Battey sentenced Pedersen on three felony counts of second-degree burglary.

He received 51 months in prison on each count, which will be served concurrently. He was credited for the seven months he had already served in jail and was ordered to pay fines, fees and restitution amounting to about $1,500.

While he was in jail, Pedersen was charged with fifth degree possession of a controlled substance. He pleaded guilty to having methamphetamine in jail and received a two-year prison sentence, which will be served concurrently with the other charges.

The case stemmed from five burglaries that were reported in the North Darling and Scenic Heights area in northeast Alexandria on March 1 and February 17, 2012.

Authorities initially charged Pedersen with child endangerment because he brought his girlfriend’s 10-year-old son along with him while he broke into the homes.

The first burglary was reported at the site of a home that was being built on Cherry Lane Court NE.

Pedersen gained entry into the almost-finished home by breaking a basement window. Extensive damage was reported. Black paint was sprayed onto a window and walls, several cabinet doors were ripped off their hinges, holes were found in walls, along with other damage. The damage was estimated at $5,500.

Three more burglaries with extensive damage and an attempted break-in were reported on South Darling Drive NW a couple of weeks later.

Officers followed footprints in the snow and believed the suspect lived somewhere on Brown’s Point Road.

A couple days after the South Darling Drive burglaries, police received information that Pedersen was responsible for the break-ins. Pedersen allegedly told family members that he had messed up and also made suicidal comments.

In an interview with police, the mother of the 10-year-old said she found out that Pedersen, whom she was living with on Brown’s Point Road, took her son with him on the burglaries. She said her son was upset about it because Pedersen told him they were going for a walk and then would end up breaking into homes.

Tags: local news, news, crime, suspect, sentencing