Cathy Carle, foreground, and Marissa Vieira pleaded guilty at York County Superior Court in Alfred Wednesday to numerous counts of burglary and theft during a spree in Wells and Alfred in March 2015.
Another person, Brian Cerullo, 26, of Alfred, was also allegedly involved in the crimes. He was originally scheduled to appear at York County Superior Court with the two women, but a mix-up postponed his appearance.
One man allegedly involved, Carlton Young, 24, of Sanford, has been charged with felony murder in connection with the March 25, 2015 cardiac arrest death of Connie Loucks of Wells, who was at home when, prosecutors allege, he tried to break in for the second time in as many days. Young entered a not guilty plea last week.
“(How) terrified she must have been,” said the victim’s husband, Brian Loucks, at Wednesday’s hearing “Our family has been broken.”
York County Superior Court Justice John O’Neil sentenced Marissa Vieira, 24, to eight years in prison, with four years suspended and three years probation for her role in the operation.
Cathy Carle, 23, who, prosecutors say, admitted her role and cooperated with police, will be sentenced later, likely in September or early October.
All four have been incarcerated at York County Jail, awaiting trial since their arrests in March 2015.
The women were drivers and lookouts in the operation that allegedly saw the two men break into homes after first knocking to determine if anyone was there, according to information presented at court.
Vieira pleaded guilty to nine felony burglary counts, seven theft counts and one count of attempted burglary. Unrelated 2014 charges of theft of unemployment benefits were dismissed.
Carle entered guilty pleas to eight burglary counts and six theft charges.
Assistant District Attorney Thaddeus West told the court that Connie Loucks came home March 24 to find her home had been burglarized and a large quantity of jewelry stolen. She reported the burglary and theft to Wells police the following morning, and then went home.
Just before noon, West said, two people approached the home and began banging on the windows. Loucks called Wells police and her husband. Then Loucks, who had a history of heart disease, went into cardiac arrest, he said. Police arrived and tried to revive her, to no avail.
Later, said West, an Alfred man arrived home to find two women in a white SUV in his driveway. They left, and he did, but his wife returned home to find the vehicle there a second time. Then, the family discovered their home had been entered. They were able to give police a description of the vehicle and a partial license plate number that led police to Cerullo’s home. Cerullo allegedly denied his involvement, but Carle confessed to driving the car and pawning the items, and told police of the involvement of the other three, West said, adding Vieira was taken into custody and also confessed her role in the operation.
Brian Loucks on Wednesday thanked Wells and Maine State Police, the York County District Attorney’s office and the Maine Attorney General’s Office for their hard work.
He said it was clear that his wife was “literally frightened to death.”
He described Connie Loucks as a kind, selfless loving wife and mother to the couple’s two daughters.
“She will be forever loved and missed,” he said.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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