Man gets 10 1/2 years in gun store break-in

YOUNGSTOWN

Brett McFarland shook his head and shuffled his manacled feet as a Mahoning County Common Pleas Court judge sentenced him to 10 and a half years in prison Wednesday for the break in of a Market Street gun shop in 2012.

Moments earlier, the 21-year-old McFarland had told Judge John Durkin he did not know his two accomplices had planned to break into AAA Customs and that he did not want to serve the 11 and a half year sentence recommended by prosecutors.

“I just don’t want to go for 11 years,” McFarland said. “I know you’ve probably heard this a million times before, but I’m sorry.”

McFarland and two others who were juveniles at the time were arrested for the break in at the shop, 2500 Market St., on Sept. 23, 2012. About three dozen high powered rifles and machine guns were taken, police said. Police said two men broke in through the roof and a third, who was McFarland, waited in a car.

McFarland was not arrested until December of 2012 and has been in the jail since his arrest. He was charged with a single count of breaking and entering and 33 counts of grand theft.

For the complete story, please see Thursday's Vindicator or vindy.com