An East Main Street resident with a record of stealing from local businesses admitted in Genesee County Court this morning that in late October he broke into a shop on Harvester Avenue and stole and then forged two checks.
The three felony counts -- burglary and two counts of possessing a forged instrument -- will send Michael J. Piasta to state prison for at least two years and perhaps as many as seven.
Piasta admitted to breaking into the building and then trying to cash two checks made out to himself, each in the amount of $1,762, at two separate branches of a local bank.
He was unsuccessful in both attempts to cash the checks.
Because the burglary and the two check-cashing attempts constitute three separate crimes, Piasta could have been facing consecutive sentences, but in a plea bargain, District Attorney Lawrence Friedman agreed to a concurrent sentence on all three counts.
His sentence also won't be enhanced by his prior felony convictions for burglary, 3rd, in 2006 and attempted assault, 2nd, in 2002.
Piasta previously admitted to burglary and petit larceny charges in Batavia City Court related to his arrests for stealing from Pandora's Boxx and Wilson Farms.
He will be sentenced in city court on those charges Dec. 2.
Previously: Man with previous thievery charges accused of burglary on Harvester Avenue
