Downers Grove Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Three Burglaries

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced that yesterday afternoon, Judge John Kinsella sentenced Jay Mendoza, 40 (d.o.b. 3/19/1982) of the 7600 block of Bein Bridge, Downers Grove, to seventeen years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for breaking into two DuPage County residences and one business in late 2019. On May 22, 2022, Mendoza entered a blind plea of guilty to two counts of Residential Burglary (Class 1 Felony) and one count of Burglary (Class 2 Felony). He will be required to serve 50% of his sentence before being eligible for parole.

On September 23, 2019, Downers Grove police officers responded to a call of a burglary at a local business. An investigation found that when the Office Manager arrived at work that morning, she observed the door had been forced open and a bank zipper envelope containing $200-$300 in cash was taken as well as a US Bank Credit Card and a Speedway Gas card. Additionally, two slot machines were taken and another two slot machines damaged. The following day, September 24, 2019, officers from the Elmhurst Police Department responded to a residence for a report of a residential burglary. Through the course of their investigation, officers learned that when the residents arrived home from work, they found forced entry to their back door. The investigation also found multiple items were missing, including a laptop computer, a tablet, earrings, and coins. The total value of the missing items was estimated at $929.99. On October 9, 2019, Oak Brook police officers were dispatched to a home for a residential burglary. Upon their arrival, officers located a broken window on the south side of the residence. Following an investigation into the crime, it was determined that more than $60,000 worth of property was stolen from the residence, which sustained approximately $10,000 worth of damage. Further investigation into the break-ins led to Mendoza as a suspect in the crimes. Mendoza was taken into custody a short time later and appeared in Bond Court October 18, 2019, where bond was set at $350,000 with 10% to apply for all three cases. He has been held in custody at the DuPage County Jail since that time.

“In addition to stealing valuables from his victims and causing thousands of dollars’ worth of damage, Mr. Mendoza’s actions also robbed his victims and the community of the feeling of safety and security that a home provides,” Berlin said. “Thanks to the outstanding work and dedication of the Downers Grove, Elmhurst and Oak Brook Police Departments however, Mr. Mendoza’s crime spree was short-lived and he is now facing a significant amount of time behind bars. I thank Assistant State’s Attorney Sara Henley for her efforts which led to Mr. Mendoza’s guilty plea and ultimate sentence.”