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Phillips pleads guilty to burglary and assault of 2 neighbors

A Warren woman has pled guilty to her involvement in a December burglary and assault in Pittsfield.

Judge Gregory Hammond took the plea of Tara Jean Phillips, 23, 625 Conewango Ave. on Monday afternoon.

She pled guilty to burglary, a first-degree felony, theft by unlawful taking and simple assault.

Assistant Public Defender Nicholis Milardo said that part of the negotiated plea with the District Attorney’s office is what the Commonwealth have no objection to running two of the sentences concurrently and that Phillips be boot camp eligible.

District Attorney Rob Greene said he is not opposed to those provisions.

Hammond advised Phillips that the burglary charge has a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

Phillips was charged in December after entering 135 Dey Lane, breaking into a safe from which 36 Lyrica pills were stolen and then assaulting two neighbors.

State police responded to the residence and spoke with the owner, who told police that her neighbor said that Phillips was in the residence.

After being asked to tell Phillips to leave, the neighbor told police that he “met Phillips in the living room area of the residence and witnessed her with a small broken open safe.”

The neighbor’s wife told police that “the defendants parked their vehicle in front of their residence.

She went to tell them to leave and Phillips then exited the vehicle and pinned her up against a vehicle screaming and spitting in her face. Phillips caused the woman to fall to the ground and then jumped on top of her.

In exchange for the plea, charges of conspiracy (burglary), criminal trespass – break into structure and harassment were not prosecuted.

Phillips was sentenced in January to a five-year intermediate punishment sentences on charges of possession with intent to deliver and endangering the welfare of a child.

Witnesses at prior proceedings testified that Phillips lived with Franklyn M. Geiger, that she is the mother of one of his children and that she worked as the officer manager and a painter for his company.

He was sentenced to 92 to 184 months in state prison last October on several charges including possession with intent to deliver, criminal use of a communications facility, corrupt organizations, buying/exchanging federal food stamps and cruelty to animals.

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