Bars from a prison jail cast a shadow on the floro.

BROOKLYN, NY—Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced today that 55-year-old John Catullo of Bensonhurst has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for a series of burglaries spanning from August 2022 to January 2023. The sentence was handed down by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun following Catullo’s guilty pleas on various charges linked to the burglaries of both homes and local businesses in the Bensonhurst area.

Catullo, who was involved in seven burglaries, initially pleaded guilty on November 16, 2023, to one count of second-degree burglary, covering all charges related to the string of crimes. However, while out on bail, he committed another burglary on December 1, 2023, stealing a diamond ring and $3,000 cash from a private home on 72nd Street. For this incident, he pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary on May 14, 2024.

Sam Kravchenko, 36, from Coney Island and a co-defendant in the initial burglaries, was sentenced on April 24, 2024, to two to six years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree burglary, criminal possession of a firearm, and second-degree criminal trespass on April 10, 2024.

The burglaries committed by Catullo and Kravchenko included high-value thefts from private residences and local stores, with stolen items ranging from luxury watches and jewelry to significant amounts of cash from safes and cash registers. Notably, one of the incidents involved the theft of $38,211 worth of merchandise from a vape shop.

The case was meticulously investigated by the 62nd Precinct, including Detective Anthony Brucato, Sergeant Nicholas Occhipinti, and Sergeant James Sinnott. District Attorney Gonzalez credited Intelligence Analyst Fatima Shaik and Unit Chief Jingu Chong of the District Attorney’s Digital Evidence Lab, as well as Jannette Lukowsky, Deputy Chief of the Law Enforcement Assistance Unit, for their roles in securing the convictions.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.