DARLINGTON — Two teens were sentenced in Lafayette County Circuit Court after a case in which they were accused of stealing two vehicles, driving one into Yellowstone Lake; and burglarazing Cork Down Saloon twice in one night.
Joseph Anthony Quaglia, 18, Mount Horeb, pleaded guilty to felony charges of criminal damage and theft of a property under $2,500 and burglary, according to officials. Owen Isaiah Murdock, 18, Galena, Ill., pled guilty to misdemeanor charges of criminal damage and theft of property under $2,500.
Both were sentenced to joint recommendations of two years’ probation during their separate hearings, according to court officials.
Lafayette County District Attorney Jenna Gill said she was grateful how quickly things were resolved and how both defendants were cooperative the entire time.
According to the criminal complaint: On June 16, Quaglia and Murdock “came up with the idea together” to burglarize Cork Down Saloon. Thus at around 1 a.m. on June 17, Quaglia and Murdock broke into Cork Down Saloon and stole several cases of alcoholic beverages, cartons of cigarettes, chewing tobacco and a cashbox with $1,000, loading those items into Murdock’s vehicle. Next, the complaint says, they proceeded to ransack “various drawers and coolers”.
After that, they drove into the village of Blanchardville where they stole a Buick Enclave, driving it back to Yellowstone State Park. Quaglia then drove it “at high speeds” into the lake, before climbing out of the windows.
They again went back to Blanchardville, stole another vehicle. That vehicle, a GMC Acadia, was “wrecked on purpose” after hitting a mailbox and a barbed wire fence and left in a ditch in Iowa County.
Around 4 a.m., both went back to Cork Down Saloon in Murdock’s vehicle where they broke in again, busted an ATM off the framing of the wall and stole the whole machine. They stole additional cases of alcohol, metal signs from the wall and stole a Savage 6.5 Creedmoor rifle with Vortex scope, which was being raffled off by the Lafayette County Sportsmen Alliance.
Many of those items were left in a ditch near Quaglia’s home, along with golf clubs and a golf bag taken from the first vehicle.
Quaglia’s attorney stated the actions done by his client and Murdock were actions “done by an incredibly stupid kid” and that his client was very remorseful for his actions. Murdock’s attorney commented how Murdock “took the charges very seriously”.
When asked to speak at their separate hearings, each defendant stated their remorse for their actions.
“I was going down a dangerous path,” Quaglia said, “and I’m embarrassed it took this to get me to straighten up.”
“This was completely out of character for me and I will never do anything like this again,” Murdock said.
Murdock’s parents also made a statement.
Judge Duane Jorgenson agreed that “17- and 18-year-olds make dumb decisions” and he “didn’t believe one decision at that age should on its own effect a person’s entire life”.