A Twin Ports man pleaded guilty to nine burglaries Monday and is considering helping police determine where the stolen property went and acknowledging whether he was involved in other cases.
Matthew Abraham Khoroosi, 21, who has addresses in Duluth and Superior, pleaded guilty in St. Louis County District Court to nine counts of second-degree burglary. He agreed to serve a 57-month prison sentence in a plea agreement reached with the St. Louis County Attorney's Office.
Sixth Judicial District Judge David Johnson ordered that an Arrowhead Regional Corrections probation officer investigate Khoroosi's background before sentencing April 28.
Khoroosi's defense lawyer, Frederick Goetz, told the court that his client was planning to meet with St. Louis County sheriff's investigators Friday. Goetz said that the meeting wasn't part of the plea agreement but that if Khoroosi provides helpful information to investigators, the defense attorney might make a motion for a shorter sentence.
St. Louis County prosecutor Vern Swanum told Khoroosi in the courtroom that he wouldn't be charged for any other past burglaries -- if there were any others in his crime spree -- if he tells authorities about them. But if he doesn't admit to any others and he's found to have been involved he will be charged.
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St. Louis County Sheriff Ross Litman credited his investigators for building multiple cases against Khoroosi after about a year of investigating.
"What we would like to know is if he is responsible for any other crimes that have not been reported to us, or have been reported and we have been unable to link them to him,'' Litman said. "In addition, we would like to be able to recover any stolen property and return it to the rightful owners.''
Khoroosi admitted stealing firearms, jewelry, laptop computers and other items. An alleged accomplice told authorities that he and Khoroosi had been transporting guns between Duluth and the Twin Cities.
Under questioning by Swanum, the defendant told the court he would knock on the door of a residence and if no one answered he would kick it in. Some residences were unlocked. If someone came to the door he would say he was from out of town, ask for directions and leave. He said that when a dog barked he usually knew no one was home.
One of the burglaries was carried out at a University of Minnesota Duluth apartment. Khoroosi was caught on a campus surveillance camera, and his face was published in the UMD Statesman student newspaper. Most of the burglaries were committed outside the city.
