Waterloo man pleads guilty to Fertile jewelry burglary

FERTILE — A Waterloo man has pleaded guilty to breaking into a jewelry business in Fertile and been sentenced to prison time.

36-year-old Jonathan Martin was accused of breaking into the business on November 23rd of last year by using a pry bar to break the glass on the doors. The owners of the business, which is attached to their home, told the Worth County Sheriff’s Department that they were sleeping and awoke to someone breaking into the business side of the building. Missing from a safe was personal property valued at more than $30,000, business property valued at more than $20,000, and client property with a value of more than $7500.

Worth County officials learned that Martin had been taken into custody on December 2nd in connection with a burglary and lottery ticket theft at the Ventura Mart in Ventura. Officers say Martin’s cell phone contained searches for the Fertile business. Martin is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence in connection with the Ventura Mart burglary.

Martin was originally charged with first-degree burglary, two counts of first-degree theft, one count of second-degree theft, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, and third-degree criminal mischief. As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, he pleaded guilty this week to one count each of third-degree burglary and first-degree theft, with the other charges being dismissed.

He was sentenced to five years on the burglary charge and ten years on the theft charge. Martin will receive credit for time previously served, and the prison terms will run concurrently to his Ventura Mart burglary prison sentence.