A man who was found to be sleeping inside a preschool in Redwood City on two separate occasions in May, according to San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe, has pled no contest to commercial burglary earlier this week.
42-year-old Oscar Banegas was discovered by the St. Michael Preschool Director sleeping in the baby room on May 5.
During the discovery, he told the director to "chill out," that he’' slept there several times before, according to Wagstaffe.
"He was a regular around the school, they would see him there and the director of the school had told him on other occasions, 'get away, don't come here,'" said Wagstaffe.
If Banegas had only entered the building on May 5 and then on May 6, he would have been charged with trespassing. But during those two incidents, he stole food and drink, as well as $500, changing the charge to commercial burglary.
Police were easily able to identify him by surveillance footage of him walking around the school.
He entered his plea on Monday. Benegas was convicted in 2017 of residential burglary. With this new charge, he could face from four to six years in prison, said Wagstaffe.
His sentencing will be on March 18.
Related
