Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 39-year-old Mark L. Cepuchowski of Cheektowaga pleaded guilty yesterday afternoon before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan to one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (Class “D” felony) and one count of Attempted Burglary in the Third Degree (Class “E” felony). The defendant pleaded guilty to the highest sustainable charge.
On March 6, 2023, the defendant stole a total of $8,129.98 worth of merchandise from two separate department stores located in the Town of Lancaster and the Town of Orchard Park. The defendant was linked to both crimes through security surveillance video.
On October 3, 2021, the defendant unlawfully entered an automobile wash business on West Main Street in the Village of Springville with the intent to commit a burglary. The defendant intentionally damaged both doors to gain access inside the building then continued to cause damage to change machines in order to steal money from inside. Cepuchowski was later linked to the crime through DNA evidence.
Cepuchowski committed all three crimes while pending sentence in a separate criminal matter. The defendant admitted to stealing an ATV, which was parked outside of a store on Walden Avenue in the Town of Cheektowaga on July 23, 2020. He pleaded guilty to one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (Class “D” felony) and two counts of Criminal Trespass in the Second Degree (Class “A” misdemeanors) on August 25, 2021. He was permitted to enter into a Judicial Diversion Program and released on his own recognizance.
On March 23, 2023, a bench warrant was issued by the Court following the defendant’s non-compliance with the court mandated program as well as arrest warrants for crimes in Orchard Park, Lancaster and Springville. Cepuchowski has been held without bail after he was arrested on the warrants on June 21, 2023.
Cepuchowski faces a maximum of 7 in prison when he is sentenced as a second felony offender on all four cases on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. He continues to be held without bail.
DA Flynn commends Detective Robert Laskowski of the Cheektowaga Police Department for his work on the case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Brian Dassero of the Special Investigations and Prosecutions (SIP) Unit.
