SAN ANGELO, Texas — A San Angelo man who was out of prison on parole has been sent back to prison for a 60-year sentence after pleading guilty to burglary charges.
In a release from the office of 119th District Attorney John Best says Joshua Puga pleaded guilty to Judge Ben Woodward Sept. 9 to two charges of burglary of a habitation, which were enhanced to first degree felonies because Puga had prior felony convictions.
With the guilty plea, Puga agreed to let the court determine his punishment. District Court Judge Lee Hamilton, seated by assignment, heard evidence which included testimony from witnesses, victims and law enforcement officers. Hamilton heard evidence about Puga being convicted of five other burglary offenses in 2018, for which he received a 15-year prison sentence.
Puga was on parole in 2023 when he burglarized two more San Angelo homes. On May 31, 2023, San Angelo Police Department officers investigated a report of a burglary. An unknown person had broken into a home and stole some of his property. Officers were able to obtain a description of a suspect vehicle and person from witnesses.
On June 2, 2023, officers spotted the suspect vehicle and detained it. Puga was arrested for possession of controlled substance after police found suspected methamphetamine in the vehicle. As the officers were dealing with the initial stop, they received information a new burglary had just occurred that day.
Officers received a list of items stolen in the new burglary and recognized several of the items were present in the suspect vehicle. After being returned from Mexico, where he had fled to avoid prosecution, Puga was interviewed by SAPD detectives and admitted committing both burglaries.
He testified he sold methamphetamine and smoked marijuana while on parole.
Three other criminal charges - possession of a controlled substance, theft of a firearm and burglary of a building - were taken into consideration while determining Puga's punishment.
"The SAPD did an excellent job of investigating these offenses and locating the defendant so that he could be brought to justice. Breaking into someone’s home is a serious crime with serious consequences. This defendant had already been sent to prison for having committed five other home burglaries and was on parole when he committed more burglaries. Our office strongly values the security of our community and will continue to aggressively prosecute defendants who undermine that security. We hope this sentence will make others think twice before burglarizing another person’s home," Best's office said in a media release.
