Nicholas Mastos, one of three suspects in a home invasion that took place on South Constantine Street in Three Rivers in the early hours of July 19, pled guilty to two charges Monday, one unrelated to the invasion. The guilty plea came as the result of a plea bargain from Acting Prosecutor Joshua Robare. As a result of the plea, other charges are dismissed, except that Mastos must pay restitution on those charges.
The guilty charges include one count of attempted breaking and entering with intent to commit larceny, Mastos’ fourth such habitual offense. That charge stems from an attempt by Mastos to break into a rental storage unit on U.S.-131 in Three Rivers with a reciprocating demolition saw on July 6. The charge means the offense was attempted, but the perpetrator failed or was stopped in its execution.
The other guilty charge is a count of home invasion in the first degree, also Mastos’ fourth such habitual offense. Mastos said he joined co-defendants Amber Carpenter and Alexander Zuchnik in approaching the South Constantine Street home. Bearing a knife, he joined Zuchnik in forcibly entering the house and threatening its owner before eventually leaving. Mastos said Zuchnik was armed with a “BB gun,” while testimony from the victims in previous hearings described Zuchnik’s weapon as a revolver.
Mastos said Monday he did not know the occupants of the house, but that people at the house “used to yell at us walking down the street. I thought they had a problem with me.” In previous hearings, multiple victims testified that the defendants kept asking “who raped my homey?” while gesturing at Mastos.
Mastos is not currently on probation or parole. By pleading guilty, he gives up his right to a trial by jury and to appeal any issues that would be appealable at trial. Any remaining right to appeal would come by having a judge grant a requested leave to appeal, and not by right. Judge Paul Stutesman, who presided over Monday’s hearing in 45th Circuit Court, accepted Mastos’s plea, finding it to be voluntary and factual with the confirmation of both Robare and attorney for the defense David Marvin. Stutesman set Mastos’ sentencing for October 23 at 1:30 p.m.
Dave Vago is a staff writer and columnist for Watershed Voice. A Philadelphia native with roots in Three Rivers, Vago is a planning consultant to history and community development organizations and is the former Executive Director of the Three Rivers DDA/Main Street program.
