EVERETT — Joseph Medoro, a burglar who raided a freezer for frozen treats, won’t have any more time added to the decade-long prison sentence he’s already serving for an assault on a police officer.
Medoro, 33, was sentenced Thursday to seven years in prison for the July 7, 2012, heist at a Mukilteo house. Superior Court Judge Richard Okrent agreed, however, to let Medoro serve out the time while he’s doing 10 years for other felony convictions.
Medoro broke into the Mukilteo house during a drug-fueled crime spree. It took science almost a year to identify him as the suspect. He was undone by the popsicles he pilfered from the freezer. He left genetic evidence on the sticks that, once tested, revealed that Medoro was responsible for the burglary.
Prosecutors on Thursday said that burglary case would have been resolved with the assault case if the test results would have come back sooner from the state crime lab. A burglary conviction would not have increased the standard sentencing range for Medoro’s other convictions.
Medoro was sentenced in February to eight years prison for a July 17, 2012, assault on a Bothell police officer. He had attempted to run down the officer with a Pontiac Grand Am. The officer shot at Medoro. The bullet hit the driver’s door, but missed the fleeing suspect. Medoro later was found hiding out in some woods. He was carrying $4,000. Detectives found more than a half-pound of heroin, a loaded handgun, meth, marijuana and other drug paraphernalia in Medoro’s backpack.
A judge also ordered Medoro to serve two years for a previous conviction in which the sentence had been suspended.
The Mukilteo burglary occurred 10 days before Medoro’s arrest for the car chase and assault on the police officer.
The burglars who hit in Mukilteo not only trashed the house, they also walked away with one of the owners’ cars, their jewelry, their financial records and a collection of miniature clocks.
The owners were away when the break-in occurred. They found the popsicle sticks while cleaning up. They placed the potential evidence in baggies and brought it to Mukilteo police. Officer Joe Hamilton booked the sticks into evidence. Once dry, they were sent to the state crime lab to test for genetic evidence left by the burglars as they ate the popsicles.
The results came back in March, about a month after Medoro was sentenced for the assault on the officer.
Prosecutors charged the case anyway.
They wanted Medoro held accountable for the crime, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Bob Hendrix said.
The conviction gives the burglary victims a chance to collect restitution. It also will count against Medoro if he commits any future crimes.
Medoro apologized Thursday, saying his priority while in prison is to overcome a long-standing drug addiction.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com.
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