One of three men accused of breaking into a St. Paul restaurant last fall is heading to prison.
Nicholas Alphonso Harris, 55, was sentenced Thursday in Ramsey County District Court to just over two years in prison for one count of second-degree burglary stemming from the October incident, according to court records.
Harris pleaded guilty to the crime Nov. 28.
Harris, Andre Donnell Ellis, 54, and Alvin Benex Collins, 60, were caught Oct. 16 burglarizing the Brasa restaurant on Grand Avenue after the men slipped on the eatery’s slick floor while trying to run from police, according to criminal complaints.
The men smashed a window to enter the restaurant and then used a saw to cut a hole into the office. Police found a safe near a two-wheeled dolly, charges said.
A backpack left in the restaurant contained a reciprocating saw, saw blades, pliers, a flashlight and an extension cord. Ellis and Harris also had black gloves and additional tools on them, including a crowbar and a long screwdriver, the complaints said.
Collins pleaded guilty to the same offense Nov. 14 and was also scheduled to be sentenced Thursday but failed to appear in court. A warrant was issued for his arrest. Ellis is scheduled for sentencing Jan. 26.