Jacksonville man gets nine years for string of burglaries

A Jacksonville man linked by police to seven downtown burglaries was sentenced to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple burglary charges. Judge Chris Reif imposed the sentence on Miles Pelewski, 30, who was listed as homeless in court and police records.

Court records show Pelewski received three separate sentences, two for eight years and one for nine years, but they will run concurrently. That means his effective prison term is nine years, not a stacked sentence. The case also included at least one count of criminal damage to property.

The burglary pattern stretched across several months and several types of properties. It began in January at Trinity Episcopal Church, then continued in March at Faith Lutheran Church. By April, the break-ins had moved into downtown Jacksonville businesses, including Peachy Nest, Charlie’s Ice Cream Shop, The Soap Company and Professional Estate Buyers. Hamilton’s was hit at least three times in April and early May, and a house on South Clay was also among the properties involved at the end of March.

Jacksonville police linked Pelewski to seven downtown burglaries concentrated in the city’s commercial core. The department’s Investigations Division led the probe, which tied together incidents that affected churches, retail shops and private property across the downtown area. The targets were the kinds of places that depend on steady foot traffic, regular hours and a sense of security to stay open and serve customers.

For business owners and church leaders, the case closed one chapter in a run of break-ins that likely meant repairs, disrupted routines and added security costs. For downtown Jacksonville, the sentence brings accountability in a case that showed how quickly a string of property crimes can spread from one church to another and then into the block-by-block life of the business district.