Brian Christopher Schotz, 48, scheduled to be sentenced in April for Santa Barbara crimes
A previously convicted serial burglar charged with committing a new string of commercial burglaries targeting businesses in Santa Barbara over the past few months has pleaded guilty to four out of seven counts filed against him.
He will be sentenced in April, prosecutors said.
Brian Christopher Schotz, 48, pleaded guilty to three felony counts of second-degree commercial burglary and one count of identity theft, a misdemeanor, at a Jan. 31 court conference held to set a date for his preliminary hearing, Deputy District Attorney Michelle Mossembekker told the News-Press.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18.
“His maximum exposure in this case is 13 years, 8 months in state prison,” prosecutor Mossembekker said.
Prosecutors alleged in their complaint that Mr. Schotz was involved in a total of six burglaries between Nov. 23 and Jan. 17, and that two burglaries occurred on the same day — twice — during that time period, Dec. 10 and Jan. 17. The six burglaries took place either in downtown Santa Barbara or at the waterfront.
The four counts the defendant pleaded guilty to are:
— Second-degree commercial burglary on Nov. 23 when he entered a commercial building occupied by Boat Launch Mini Mart, 305 W. Cabrillo Blvd., “with the intent to commit larceny and any felony.”
— Second-degree commercial burglary on Dec. 6 when he entered a commercial building occupied by an adult book store at 405 State St., also with intent to commit larceny.
— Second-degree commercial burglary on Dec. 10 when he entered a commercial building occupied by Loquita Restaurant, 202 State St., also with intent to commit larceny.
— Identity theft on Jan. 18, when he “did willfully and unlawfully with the intent to defraud, acquire and retain possession of personal identifying information of another person.”
Prosecutors noted in their complaint that Mr. Schotz previously was convicted of 24 felonies, all but two in Santa Barbara.
Santa Barbara police were on patrol in the area of 300 East Cabrillo Blvd. on Jan. 18 when they contacted and detained Mr. Schotz for violating a Santa Barbara municipal code section.
Mr. Schotz was identified as a suspect involved in multiple commercial burglaries over the past several months in Santa Barbara, police said. Those cases had been under active investigation by the detective bureau.
He was arrested at the scene and transported to the Santa Barbara Police Department. Mr. Schotz remains in custody on $150,000 bail, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
“We want to thank the Santa Barbara community for reporting these crimes,” Santa Barbara police said in a news release at the time. “Their active participation in these investigations assisted the Santa Barbara Police Department in the apprehension of this suspect.”
email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com
