Police have charged a Cape Coral man and a Fort Myers man in a string of burglaries in Lee County over the past few months, during which the men reportedly snatched more than $54,000 worth of property.
Michael Gomez, 17, of 4234 S.E. 19th Place, Apt. B, was charged with nine counts of burglary, nine counts of grand theft and seven counts of criminal mischief.
Jose Emanuel Perez Cortes, 20, of 3746 Central Ave., Unit 220, Fort Myers, was charged with three counts of burglary, three counts of grand theft and one count of criminal mischief.
Gomez and Cortes committed three of the burglaries together, and Gomez committed six additional burglaries, according to city spokesperson Connie Barron.
Officers with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Cape Coral Police Department began the investigation when Gomez was arrested on burglary charges in October and detectives discovered stolen goods from multiple burglaries in Gomez’s home, Barron said. More than $26,000 worth of property was recovered and returned to burglary victims.
Gomez and Cortes reportedly admitted to the burglaries, including several in Cape Coral.
Additional to charges by Cape police, the men face charges from the sheriff’s office, Barron said.
Jail booking records show Cortes has been booked on 51 additional felony theft charges by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, 21 of which are for grand larceny of a firearm and two misdemeanors for property damage.
Gomez remained in the Juvenile Assessment Center while Cortes remained in the Lee County Jail without bond, booking records showed Wednesday night.