AKRON, Ohio — A 53-year-old Akron man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for numerous burglaries dating back 20 years, according to a release from the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office.
On Feb. 11, Kevin Blanchard, 53, pleaded guilty to the following charges:
- Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity, a felony of the 1st degree
- Aggravated theft, a felony of the 3rd degree
- Grand theft, a felony of the 4th degree
- Breaking and entering, a felony of the 5th degree
Between 1999 and September 2002, Blanchard and six other accomplices broke into several Summit County businesses. During each of the break-ins, the security system and telephone lines were cut and a variety of items were stolen.
In March 2002, investigators received a break in the case when one of the defendants reached out to law enforcement while in prison on unrelated charges. Officers from several agencies interviewed all seven individuals, who admitted their involvement in the crime ring.
Blanchard admitted to being the ring leader of the group. Investigators found several of the stolen items on property owned by the individuals involved in the crime ring.
