A Lake Tahoe man with a history of thievery was sentenced to 2-5 years in prison after admitting a charge of residential burglary.

Johnathan Adam Towne, 37, avoided a second felony when prosecutor Ric Casper dismissed a charge of grand larceny of a motor vehicle. The vehicle involved was the same one Towne was convicted of stealing in El Dorado County.

Defense attorney Matthew Ence sought to a suspended sentence while his client participated in drug treatment, saying he had a long-term plan.

“Mr. Towne has shown he is ready and willing to steal at every opportunity,” Casper said in arguing for a six-year prison sentence.

According to Casper, Towne entered a hotel room and took a backpack. He used the keys inside to locate the victim’s vehicle in the parking lot and moved it, disconnecting the battery cable so the GPS wouldn’t work.

“I know I have hurt people and any excuse I give won’t mean anything,” he said. “I just want to pay for my crimes in a way that’s sufficient to the court and the people I hurt.”

District Judge Tod Young questioned why he should send Towne to rehab when he told the writer of a pre-sentence report that he found the backpack in the hotel lobby. In another statement, the judge said Towne claimed he found the backpack in the hallway, though security footage didn’t support that claim.

“You’re a thief and you need to go to prison,” Young said in pronouncing sentence. Towne was give credit for 103 days served since his May 8 arrest.

Convicted of a April 17, 2021, burglary of Hell’s Kitchen at the former Harvey’s, now known as Caesars Republic, Towne received two suspended 19-48-month sentences.

• A man received a suspended 19-48-month prison sentence after he admitted swapping bar codes in order to obtain a $269.99 LEGO Icons PAC-MAN Arcade Retro Game Building Set from the Target for $39.99.

Aaron Vince Agosta, 46, will be transferred to Washoe County where he faces a far more serious charge than possession of a counterfeit price label, attorney Alexis Duecker said.

“I’m very ashamed,” Agosta said. “I’ve let so many people down. I want to get right and be a better man.”

• A Lake Tahoe man admitted to possession of a credit card without the owner’s permission on Tuesday.

Caleb Leon Stroud admitted he found a woman’s cards in a wallet and used it at Bally’s, including the ATM. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 29.