Cedar Rapids man convicted of Jim’s Foods burglary last year

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Cedar Rapids man, previously convicted of two home burglaries and already serving probation, pleaded guilty Thursday to another burglary, this time of a grocery store last October.

Kwanie Young, 34, pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary in Linn County District Court. He faces five years in prison and could possibly face more time for a revocation of probation. He admitted during the plea to breaking into Jim's Foods grocery store after it was closed on Oct. 11, 2015 and stealing items. He bashed in the glass on the front door to gain access.

Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden said Thursday there is surveillance video from the store of Young at Jim's earlier in the day with a friend, Artis Wash. Young seemed to be 'distracting” the only store clerk as Wash goes over and grabs a case of Grey Goose vodka and runs out, he said.

'Young then broke into the store, after closing, and stole items,” Vander Sanden said. 'And the surveillance video, that's in color, shows Young, who is wearing the same clothes from the earlier incident.”

Vander Sanden said Young is wearing a University of Illinois sweat shirt and 'unique” athletic shoes that helped identify him.

Wash was charged with misdemeanor theft for stealing the vodka, Vander Sanden said.

A judge gave Young probation on July 13, 2015 for two counts of third-degree burglary that occurred at two different residences in March 2014 and 2015, and six days later he was arrested for breaking into a woman's home and was back in jail.

That burglary charge was dropped, Vander Sanden said. Young's girlfriend told police he broke into her home but then recanted. He was convicted on the other charge, interference with official acts.

Vander Sanden said Young also has a pending misdemeanor aggravated theft charge. He is accused of attempting to leave Sam's Liquor and Tobacco store with a case of beer and then when the manager tried to stop Young, he pushed the clerk.

Vander Sanden will ask the court to revoke his previous probation on the two burglary charges and run that 10 year sentence consecutively to the five year sentence for the Jim's Foods burglary.

Young has a lengthy criminal history including convictions for stabbing a woman with a knife, assault on police officers, harassment, interference with official acts, possession of marijuana and theft, according to court records.