SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) —A man was sentenced in Tom Green County after stolen items were located during a traffic stop while the man was on parole.

Joshua Puga, 27, was sentenced to 60 years in prison on Sept. 9, after pleading guilty to two counts of burglary of habitation.

According to a news release from the Tom Green County District Attorney's Office, the case was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Richard Villarreal and Assistant District Attorney Eric Oden. The sentence was handed down by District Court Judge Lee Hamilton, who was sitting by assignment.

The offenses occurred on two different days May 31 and June 2, 2023. SAPD officers investigated the initial burglary, obtained a suspect vehicle description, and arrested Puga following a traffic stop. During the stop, officers found suspected methamphetamine in Puga's vehicle and later linked stolen items from a second burglary to the same vehicle.

The court heard evidence of Puga's criminal history, including his testimony that he sold methamphetamine and used marijuana. Additionally, the court learned that Puga had fled to Mexico to evade prosecution. He was eventually apprehended and admitted to the burglaries after being returned to the U.S.

Puga also faces additional charges for possession of a controlled substance, theft of a firearm, and burglary of a building, which were considered during the sentencing.

Puga's sentence is heightened due to a previous felony conviction for similar offenses. He was convicted in 2018 for five separate burglaries and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Puga was out on parole in 2023 when he committed the latest burglaries in San Angelo.

The District Attorney's Office congratulated the San Angelo Police Department for their thorough investigation.

"This defendant had already been sent to prison for similar crimes and was on parole when comminuted additional burglaries. We are committed to prosecuting defendants who threaten our community's safety," the press release from the district attorney's office read.

News Source : https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/crime/repeat-offender-in-san-angelo-senteced-to-60-years-for-burglary/