A dog walker was sentenced Thursday to two years in state prison for burglarizing a client’s home in Palos Verdes Estates.
Nephi Henderson, 36, of Hermosa Beach, was immediately sentenced after his no contest plea in a Torrance courtroom to one count of first-degree residential burglary, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
A second burglary charge against Henderson involving the same home was dismissed as a result of his plea.
Co-defendant Zulma Lourdes Farias, 20, of Hermosa Beach, pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree residential burglary and is expected to be ordered to complete a court program for women and to serve three years on probation, according to Santiago. She is due in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Dec. 29 for sentencing.
Henderson was given a key to the family’s home so he could walk their dog, according to testimony presented at a Sept. 14 hearing in which he was ordered to stand trial.
Henderson used the key to burglarize the home with Farias, according to prosecutors.
Detectives launched an investigation after the homeowner who hired Henderson through the website Care.com reported that the suspect and accomplices were captured on surveillance video entering his home and removing property on two occasions while the homeowner was away in August, Palos Verdes Estates police said shortly after Henderson’s arrest.
–City News Service