Defendant: Latonia Shelecia Stewart (DOB 09/24/91)
Aug. 1, 2019 – Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino Jr. announced Latonia Shelecia Stewart of the Bronx was arraigned Wednesday (7/31) following a 22-count indictment by the Westchester County Grand Jury related to a series of residential burglaries of homes where families were attending funeral services, starting in fall 2017 and ending in spring 2018.
The charges are as follows:
- Six counts of Burglary in the Second Degree, a class C felony
- Five counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony
- One count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a class E felony
- One count of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, a class D felony
- One count of Petit Larceny, a misdemeanor
- Four counts of Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree, a misdemeanor
- One count of Possession of Burglar’s tools, a misdemeanor
- Three motor vehicle violations
Stewart is scheduled next to appear in court Aug. 13, 2019.
Background
The indictment alleges Latonia Stewart burglarized the Westchester homes of people who were out of the house attending their spouse’s wake or funeral service. Stewart looked up obituaries online and targeted homes of individuals she believed would not be home while attending the decedent’s services. When the people returned home, they found their home burglarized. They reported jewelry and other personal property missing. At some of the residences, the defendant broke windows and glass doors to enter, using a mallet hammer which was located under the seat of her vehicle when she was apprehended.
The charges stem from six incidents in Rye Brook, Cortlandt, Scarsdale, Irvington (Town of Greenburgh), Ossining and Tarrytown. She also faces charges for burglaries in Greenwich, Connecticut and in Carmel in Putnam County.
On May 1, 2018, Greenburgh Police, after surveilling the suspect for some time, observed Stewart driving away from the home of a deceased person. They stopped her car on the Sprain Brook Parkway. Inside the vehicle, they found jewelry in plain view. She also had an obituary on her cellphone. Her baby was in the car at the time. Police took her into custody and later searched her car and her Bronx residence finding more stolen items and burglar’s tools.
Greenburgh Police and the DA’s Investigations Division with the assistance of New York State Police, Greenwich PD, Ossining PD, Tarrytown PD, Scarsdale PD and Rye Brook PD, investigated the case.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Joseph DiBenedetto, Deputy Chief of the Pattern Crime Unit, and Stefanie DeNise of the Investigations Division.
Latonia Stewart |
In compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.6, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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