But 42-year-old Joseph Marlowe didn’t walk away from the burglaries hungry.
Prosecutors said in one home, investigators found half-eaten deli ham from a sandwich and at another home — utensils that Marlowe used to eat a steak.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation was able to collect DNA samples on the food items, which ultimately led to Marlowe’s demise.
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Marlowe pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary last month.
Clark County Assistant Prosecutor Beau Thompson said that evidence could’ve very easily been overlooked but proved crucial enough to make the case a slam dunk.
“Good heads up work by the detectives to obtain that DNA from those sources,” he said.
Prior to Marlowe’s sentencing being handed down, Thompson asked the judge for the maximum penalty, citing Marlowe’s several previous theft convictions.
Marlowe’s attorney, Jon Paul Rion argued that Marlowe does have a problem with drug abuse and that factored into his lengthy criminal wrap sheet.
“I don’t think he himself is a bad person, I think he just has a very serious addiction,” Rion said in court.
Marlowe did apologize to the judge for the crimes.
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Clark County Common Pleas Court Judge Richard O’Neill considered all of those factors when sentencing, but eventually served Marlowe with a total of three years in prison — a punishment that both sides of the case said was fair.
“He hasn’t taken opportunities to improve those drug addiction issues, and therefore a significant prison sentence was appropriate,” Thompson said.
Marlowe did not receive the maximum punishment in his case. The judge broke it down to 18 months in prison for one count of burglary and 18 months for the other. The maximum sentence that Ohio law allows for a single third-degree burglary felony is 36 months in prison.
“Looks like down the road, he’ll be given a chance to prove himself and if he does so I think he’ll be released early,” Rion said.
When Marlowe is released from prison, he will be on a parole for three years.
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