2 Plead Guilty to Bridgewater Burglary to Avoid Trial

A Teaneck man and his nephew pleaded guilty Monday to a Hodge Drive home burglary in 2011.

Jason Mikell, 43, and his nephew, Diandre Mikell, 26, both of Teaneck, admitted to causing property damage and stealing jewelry when they allegedly burglarized the home on April 4, 2011, according to NJ.com. The Mikells and a third man, Jerry Montgomery, 32, of Teaneck, were stopped driving in Green Brook and arrested after being forced out of their car by police.

Montgomery was also indicted on burglary charges in April 2013 targeting homes in the Sussex County area to burglarize. Montgomery's case for the Bridgewater burglary is heading to trial, NJ.com reported.

At the same time of the Bridgewater burglary, the three men were investigated for burglaries of high-end homes in Bergen County. Teaneck investigators and a task force of detectives from Bergen and Rockland Counties stealing cash, a safe and jewelry. Montgomery was also charged that month with possession of burglary tools in connection with burglaries in Rockland County.

The Mikells were planning to go to trial along with Montgomery, with jury selection about the begin, when they pleaded guilty. Jason Mikell pleaded guilty in hopes he would receive a lesser sentence than if convicted in trial, NJ.com reported, and Diandre Mikell felt pleading guilty was in his best interest.