BROOKINGS – A man has been sentenced to five years in prison for breaking into a Brookings residence in 2017.

Zachary Burrell, 21, pleaded guilty in November to one count of first-degree burglary. In exchange, a charge of grand theft was dismissed.

The burglary was reported in the early morning hours of July 14, 2017. A Brookings woman called 911 to report that an unknown man had been in her residence.

The woman said she and her family were asleep when a barking dog woke her up. The woman found Burrell in their home office, and she struggled with him as he attempted to flee the scene.

The woman’s husband came to help, but Burrell got away. They discovered that Burrell had rummaged through their office, taking approximately $2,500 in cash from a safe.

At sentencing this week, defense attorney Tim Hogan said Burrell, a Michigan native, moved to South Dakota for work but got injured on the job. That led to his addiction to opiate prescriptions.

“He got caught up in what America is facing, a serious opiate crisis,” the attorney said.

Hogan said Burrell understands how serious his crime was and that it affected the residents.

Burrell said he’s not sorry he got caught. “I can only imagine what I put these people through.”

Circuit Judge Greg Stoltenburg said he didn’t think Burrell had changed, and there have to be consequences for his actions. 

Burrell was under the influence of opioids and alcohol at the time of the burglary, and he used the stolen money to buy a motorcycle, the judge said. Then Burrell fled the area. He didn’t cooperate with his court services officer for his pre-sentence investigation this winter, so he was put in jail last week until it was done, Stoltenburg noted.

The judge said Burrell has potential, but he needed to send a message with the sentence, that breaking into someone’s home at night while residents, including children, are there “is not allowed in Brookings.”

People have to lock their doors, use alarms and worry about home security “because of people like you,” the judge said.

Stoltenburg then sentenced Burrell to 10 years in the state penitentiary. Five years are suspended on condition that Burrell pay court-appointed attorney fees, $104 in court costs and $2,380 in restitution. He must also remain law abiding and follow the rules and regulations of the Board of Pardons and Parole.

Burrell was given credit for 22 days already served in jail.

First-degree burglary is a Class 2 felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

Contact Jill Fier at jfier@brookingsregister.com.