Judge Sentences Marijuana Burglar to 120 Days, Rehab

A man who broke into several medical marijuana dispensaries pleaded guilty today.

Jose Ramon Vidrio, 20, of Redlands, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of burglary and one felony count of attempted burglary stemming from a string of break-ins at medical marijuana dispensaries.

He smashed his way into two of these shops in unincorporated Murrieta earlier this month. He was caught by the owner of a third dispensary--Disabled American Veterans Collective--as he was trying to put a brick through the shop's window.

The two got in a car chase, which ended in a crash, a foot chase, and a fight. The owner managed to subdue Vidrio until deputies arrived, according to the sheriff's department.

To read more about the arrest,

Vidrio stood before a judge today at the in French Valley in a black collared shirt untucked into his blue jeans as his sentence was read.

Vidrio was sentenced to participate in a 45-day rehabilitation program and then serve 120 days in county jail.

He will be put on probation after he completes the program and his jail time, Judge Angel Bermudez told him during the hearing.

The crime comes only a few months after local city and law enforcement officials voiced concerns that medical marijuana dispensaries draw violent crime.

To read about their concerns,

This is at least the second serious crime to be committed at local dispensaries in recent months. A medical marijuana dispensary was burglarized in July, according to police.