A Durango man who stormed into a house pretending to be a drug enforcement officer to steal a large quantity of medical marijuana was sentenced Friday to two years in a community corrections program.
In a statement to 6th Judicial District Judge William Herringer, Lorne Heintze, 27, expressed remorse and said he has taken substantial steps toward putting his life on the right track, including staying sober for six months, maintaining a job and attending various meetings to address his mental health and addiction problems.
“The shame, humiliation and guilt over what I have done is constantly present in my mind and heart and it motivates me to take recovery and change extremely seriously,” he wrote in a statement to the judge. “I spend every day working as hard as I can to live a new way and to be a positive, productive, functional member of our community.”
Heintze pleaded guilty to felony robbery. He was facing probation or up to two years at Hilltop House, a community corrections program in Durango, after signing a plea agreement with the District Attorney’s Office.
According to an arrest affidavit, Heintze and two others stormed into his aunt’s home about 3 a.m. May 17 on La Posta Road (County Road 213) south of Durango to steal about 8 pounds of medical marijuana, which was cultivated as part of a legal grow operation.
The intruders identified themselves as Drug Enforcement Administration agents, handcuffed the two occupants inside the house, put pillow cases over their heads and released pepper spray, according to the affidavit and a spokesman for the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office.
The robbers left with a large Rubbermaid tub full of marijuana.
Heintze and his two co-defendants, Melissa Renee Garippo, 27, and Michael Leonard Powell, 49, were arrested a couple of weeks after the break-in after an investigation by the Sheriff’s Office. Garippo and Powell are awaiting sentencing hearings in their cases.
In statements to the judge, the victims, Kim TenEyck and Matthew Knight, said it was a terrifying experience. Both said the plea agreement seemed rather lenient, but they also didn’t insist on a prison term, saying community corrections might be what Heintze needs.
“I believe the plea bargain being offered is ridiculous,” Knight said.
Judge Herringer said when he first saw Heintze’s case, he didn’t think there was any other possibility than a prison sentence, in part because he was already on probation. But Heintze has taken positive steps to turn around his life, so the judge agreed to let him remain free. If he can’t successfully comply with community corrections, he faces up to six years in prison.
“I believe you can do this,” the judge said.
shane@durangoherald.com
