A Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for a series of burglaries in Bensonhurst between August 2022 and January 2023, resulting in the theft of more than $150,000 worth of jewelry and cash.
The defendant, John Catullo, 55, targeted both private residences and local businesses during his crime spree.
“These prison sentences reflect the seriousness of the crimes these serial burglars committed and send a strong message that this conduct will not be tolerated in Brooklyn,” said District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. “My office takes property crime and retail theft very seriously, and I’m grateful to our partners and the NYPD for their excellent work holding these defendants accountable.”
Catullo was sentenced by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to 10 years in prison on two indictments covering seven burglaries. He initially pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree burglary in November 2023, covering the burglaries committed between August 2022 and January 2023.
While out on bail, Catullo committed another burglary on Dec. 1, 2023, stealing a diamond ring and $3,000 in cash from a private home on 72nd Street in Bensonhurst. He pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary for this incident on May 14, 2024.
Catullo’s accomplice, Sam Kravchenko, 36, of Coney Island, pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary, criminal possession of a firearm and second-degree criminal trespass. Kravchenko was sentenced to two to six years in prison on April 24, 2024.
The investigation, led by the NYPD’s 62nd Precinct, linked the defendants to several burglaries: On August 8, 2022, they burglarized a private home on West 12th Street in Gravesend, stealing luxury watches and jewelry. On September 6, 2022, they stole a safe containing $15,000 and petty cash from a grocery store on 17th Avenue in Bensonhurst. On Oct. 6, 2022, they hit two grocery stores, one on Bath Avenue and another on New Utrecht Avenue, stealing security boxes and cash registers. On Nov. 13, 2022, they burglarized a vape shop on 18th Avenue in Bensonhurst, stealing merchandise worth $38,211. On Jan. 18, 2023, they targeted a private home on 76th Street in Bensonhurst, stealing cash, luxury watches, and jewelry.
Kravchenko was arrested on Jan. 26, 2023, after a traffic stop revealed he was driving with a suspended license and in possession of Oxycodone pills and police scanners. Cell phone data and video evidence later connected him and Catullo to the burglaries.
