Published: April 02, 2009 09:12 am      

Alleged burglar in court

Pleads innocent to eight felonies

By Patricia Breakey
Delhi News Bureau

DELHI _ Four cases involving drugs and one involving prison contraband were heard in Delaware County Court on Monday.

A Fleischmanns man who was arraigned in Delaware County Court in November on eight charges related to two burglaries appeared in court Monday with his recently assigned attorney, Richard Gumo of Delhi.

Matthew C. Galunas, 41, was arrested Oct. 30 and was charged with eight felonies. The alleged incidents took place in Margaretville during Christmas of 2007.

Galunas pleaded innocent to two counts of first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance _ morphine, morphine sulfate, oxycodone, oxycotin and methadone; two counts of third-degree burglary; two counts of third-degree grand larceny; and two counts of petit larceny.

The charges stem from alleged burglaries at the CVS pharmacy and the A&P supermarket in Margaretville.

A large amount of pharmaceutical drugs and cigarettes were stolen from the CVS, troopers said, and a large, undisclosed amount of cash was stolen from the store registers and the ATM machine within the A&P, along with cartons of cigarettes.

Gumo said a recently received DNA report eliminates Galunas as one of the people involved. Gumo requested bail be set for Galunas so he can resume his contracting business and support his family.

Delaware County District Attorney Richard Northrup disagreed with the characterization of the DNA report.

Northrup said Galunas is awaiting sentencing in Ulster County on charges related to the sale of stolen prescription drugs.

Ulster County deputies arrested Galunas on Feb. 26, 2008, and charged him with two counts of criminal sale and possession of a controlled substance. He also faced a reckless endangerment charge for allegedly selling more than 300 tablets of morphine to undercover officers and more than 400 tablets total during an investigation.

Judge Donald Cerio asked for a written request for bail and promised to render a decision this week.

Other cases included: ä Richard O. Wood, 49, Walton, pleaded guilty to two reduced counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to two consecutive one-year sentences in jail and $80 restitution.