San Francisco, CA – San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced today that her office secured a conviction of Victor Matute-Casco (28), of San Francisco, after a trial by jury for breaking into six vehicles on one night in the Excelsior and Crocker Amazon neighborhoods. Mr. Matute-Casco was convicted of six counts of second-degree burglary (PC 459) and one count of attempted second-degree burglary (PC 459). He was also convicted of misdemeanor possession of stolen property (PC 496) and one count of resisting, obstructing, or delaying a peace officer (PC 148(a)(1)).
“The jury’s verdict holds Mr. Matute-Casco accountable and helps make our city safer by ensuring that his brazen criminal behavior is stopped,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “Auto burglary continues to be a top concern for residents and visitors of our city and I will continue to work closely with law enforcement to ensure that prolific auto burglars face consequences.”
According to testimony and other evidence presented at trial, in the early hours of September 8, 2023, in both the Excelsior and Crocker-Amazon neighborhoods, Mr. Matute-Casco broke into six vehicles, and attempted to break into another two vehicles, before he was arrested by Ingleside Station Officers near the intersection of Cordova Street and Seville Street. At the time of his arrest, Mr. Matute-Casco was hiding under a parked vehicle. He first caught the attention of the officers when he was observed casing a parked vehicle on Naples Street near Athens Street with a flashlight. Forensic evidence, along with Mr. Matute-Casco’s distinctive clothing, tied him to the various crime scenes. During a search of his vehicle, power tools belonging to one of the victims was recovered.
The case against Mr. Matute-Casco was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kourtney “Korey” M. Bell, with assistance from the District Attorney Investigators team, paralegal Melissa Cruz, and Victim Advocate Tony Leung who worked closely with multiple victims throughout the pendency of the case. Prosecutors were able to develop a strong case against Mr. Matute-Casco with careful investigation by the San Francisco Police Department’s Ingleside Station and Criminalistics Laboratory’s forensic analysis.
“I would like to express my deep and sincere admiration for the jurors; our systems of criminal justice would not be possible without them. said Assistant District Attorney Kourtney “Korey” M. Bell. “With the rendered verdicts, the City and County of San Francisco has demonstrated that it will no longer tolerate individuals breaking into our vehicles with impunity. I strongly advise that you think twice before breaking a vehicle’s window in San Francisco.”
Mr. Matute-Casco is currently in custody. He faces more than eight years in state prison for his crimes. Sentencing is scheduled for March 13, 2024.
Court Number: 23014336
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