Riverhead, NY - November 20, 2017 - A jury in Riverhead has found two Suffolk County men guilty of burglary and robbery charges for their roles in an armed home invasion in Farmingville in August of last year.
Defendants Jason Montello, 39, of Bay Shore and Paul Torres, 44, of Middle Island were tried together before Judge Timothy Mazzei. The jury began its deliberations two days ago and convicted the pair of two counts of burglary in the first degree, two counts of robbery in the first degree, three counts of burglary in the second degree, and two counts of robbery in the second degree. The trial began on October 16.
Torres and Montello were arrested in Selden in December of last year for the home invasion at 17 Chestnut Avenue in Farmingville on August 4, 2016.
Montello still faces trial on one charge of robbery in the second degree for a holdup on October 16 last year at the Rocky Point 7-11 on Route 25A. Torres will be tried for an attempted burglary of a home on Sunflower Lane in Islandia from September of last year, and two counts of criminal Possession of stolen property. Torres also has charges pending for introducing prison contraband as a felony.
Judge Mazzei remanded the pair to the county jail to await their sentencing on January 9, 2018. Both Montello and Torres face sentences of 25 to life in prison.