Prison time ordered in Best Buy burglary case

One of four men from Texas charged in connection with an August 2019 burglary at Best Buy in Jefferson City, has been sentenced to prison.

Micah Lazaro, 30, pleaded guilty during a hearing before Cole County Presiding Judge Jon Beetem to felony charges of second-degree burglary, stealing and resisting arrest. A charge of possession of burglar tools was dismissed.

Lazaro was sentenced to seven years in prison and will get credit for time served.

The three other men charged in the case - Michael Coleman, 29; Keeland Johnson, 25; and Jeremy Phillips, 29 - are awaiting later court appearances. Each is charged with resisting arrest, stealing, possession of burglar's tools and second-degree burglary.

Lazaro was arrested after a pursuit with authorities, while the other three were taken into custody at a Columbia hotel.

According to police reports, shortly after the burglary was reported, officers noticed a van in the area and attempted to stop it, but it sped away.

Near the 800 block of West Stadium Boulevard at Target, the van occupants fled on foot in multiple directions. The van continued downhill before coming to rest in trees behind the store.

Lazaro was arrested, while the others got away.

The four charged are all from Houston, according to Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statements.

Best Buy video surveillance reportedly showed Lazaro, Johnson, Phillips and Coleman were in the store the day before the burglary.

Walmart receipts show two pairs of gloves were purchased the morning of the burglary, with one of the packages found in a hotel room in Columbia and another found in the suspects' vehicle at the hotel. A pair of the gloves was located in woods behind Target and other businesses searched by authorities after the burglary.

Authorities also recovered dark pants and shirts in the hotel room that reportedly match what the suspects were seen wearing in the Best Buy video.

Authorities later learned Phillips had rented another hotel room and had a separate vehicle on his hotel registration. That vehicle was located, and burglary tools and numerous items taken from Best Buy were found inside it.

Best Buy officials estimated the value of the merchandise stolen was $60,000.