Mitchell Leahy booking photo
SACRAMENTO — A Sacramento man convicted of numerous charges — and who was captured with the help of a 14-year-old Granite Bay girl and another victim — was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison on Friday, April 22, 2016.
In March, a Sacramento County jury convicted Mitchell Paul Leahy, 36, of first-degree robbery with use of a firearm, first-degree burglary, and grand theft of a firearm for his role in a three month crime spree from August to October 2013.
The spree began on August 29, 2013 when Ryan Yarbrough returned to his Folsom home to find he had been robbed. Leahy had removed the residence’s sliding glass door and stolen Yarbrough’s .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun, a .40-caliber semi-automatic firearm and his grandfather’s retirement ring.
Just several days later on September 2, 2013, Leahy broke into Vickie Lovingood’s home in Orangevale. When she returned home, she found Leahy in her bedroom rummaging through her dresser while holding a tote bag full of items. He pulled a gun on her, but when she backed away, he was able to flee.
Fingerprints were lifted at both crime scenes — from the sliding doors at Yarborough’s home, and French doors at Lovingood’s residence — that matched those of Leahy.
On October 23, 2013, Leahy struck again when he tried to break into a Granite Bay home by removing a sliding glass door. A 14-year-old girl was home at the time and called 911. Detectives found him nearby with numerous items in his truck that included burglary tools, a firearm, jewelry and other property belonging to multiple victims.
Lovingood also identified him when she saw Leahy’s picture on the news on October 25, 2013.
Leahy appeared before Sacramento Superior Court Judge Donald Currier who sentenced him to 17 years and four months in state prison.
