By Lisa Redmond
MediaNews
AYER — When a Townsend homeowner returned home after the July 4th holiday last year he caught his son’s friend, Justin R. Galvin, inside his house — for the second time in three weeks — stealing from him and wearing the evidence on his finger.
In Ayer District Court on Wednesday, Galvin, 20, admitted to sufficient facts to charges of breaking and entering, larceny over $250 and vandalism for the July 6, 2012, incident.
Judge Mary McCallum continued Galvin’s case without a finding for 18 months while he is on probation. While on probation, Galvin, who takes medication for ADHD, must continue with counseling, submit to a drug abuse evaluation and treatment.
McCallum opted for a continued without a finding verses the guilty finding requested by prosecutors because she is “familiar with the burdens of ADHD.”
But she told Galvin, “It is not a sufficient excuse to break into someone’s house.”
Prosecutor Tommy Noda explained that when the Townsend homeowner returned from vacation at 2:46 p.m., he found his house had been broken into and Galvin was still in the home.
Noda said the homeowner had allegedly caught Galvin in his home three weeks earlier.
The homeowner told police that numerous electronics and jewelry were missing for a total of $4,000 in stolen items and damage, Noda said.
The only thing recovered was the son’s class ring with his name on it, which Galvin was wearing, Noda said. The grandmother’s stolen jewelry was “irreplaceable,” Noda said.
A restitution hearing is scheduled for April 3.
Galvin’s attorney said his client is attending college and working part-time. He has no prior record and hasn’t been in any trouble since.
Co-defendant Jessica L. Duplak, 19, of Townsend, has pleaded not guilty to a single charge of breaking and entering into a building. Her next court date is a final pretrial conference on April 10.
Duplak has pending breaking and entering and larceny cases in Lowell District Court after the former UMass Lowell student was accused last September of feeding her Percocet habit by allegedly stealing dozens of textbooks from fellow students.
Duplak has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Her case is pending.
Follow Lisa Redmond on Twitter @lredmond13.
