Kingsport man sentenced to 22 years in string of home burglaries
BLOUNTVILLE — A Kingsport man who has admitted stealing jewelry and other valuables — likely in excess of $60,000 worth — from more than a dozen Model City homes has received a 22-year sentence but could spend less than five years behind bars.
George Anthony Flevaris, 32, last known address 1109 Camelia Ave., was sentenced to 22 years Wednesday morning in Sullivan County Criminal Court. The sentence is linked to 30 offenses he pleaded guilty to earlier this month, most of which stem from a string of burglaries he committed between March and May 2011.
According to Sullivan County Assistant District Attorney William Harper, Flevaris could spend less than five years behind bars. That’s because the judge suspended six years of Flevaris’ sentence in favor of keeping him on supervised probation for a total of 12 years, and in accordance with current sentencing laws Flevaris will be eligible for parole consideration after serving 30 percent of the remaining 16 years, Harper said.
Court records indicate Flevaris’ charges stemmed primarily from burglaries reported to Kingsport police between March 27, 2011, and May 17, 2011. His earliest offense involved meat stolen from a Kroger store in November 2010.
Most of the burglaries occurred at residences along Hermitage Drive, Newbern Road, Hampton Street, Linville Street, Catawba Street, River Edge Road, Monterey Street, Hiwassee Drive and Crest Road.
“According to what he tells us — and I don’t have any reason to believe it’s not true — he was using public transportation. He’d get dropped off at like Walmart, and then he’d walk across — there’s a subdivision across the street. He’d walk across the street, get whatever he could, throw it in his pockets, his backpack — he was staying at the Greenwood Motel — and he’d just get on the bus and go back downtown,” Harper said.
Flevaris had made bond on a theft charge stemming from appliances stolen from a former landlord when he was arrested about two weeks later for the first “set” of aggravated burglaries, Harper said.
“He made bond on that and then committed all the rest of those (offenses).”
The victims reported primarily “gold and expensive jewelry” were taken from their homes, while larger or heavier items were untouched, Harper said.
“He didn’t want to be weighted down, having to carry that stuff, so he was just going after the expensive stuff that he could pawn and get money from quickly.”
According to Harper, Flevaris said he was addicted to Roxicet when these offenses occurred.
“According to what’s in the presentencing report, he’s kind of had a classic pattern of drug use. He started out with marijuana when he was 16, graduated up to cocaine, meth, ecstasy, mushrooms, and of course, eventually, fell into using pills,” Harper said.
To date, Harper said only a small portion of the stolen goods has been recovered, and some items are proving difficult to return.
“A lot of it was coins ... I mean, whose are they?” he said.
Harper said he believes the total restitution owed to all the victims exceeds $60,000.
A March 9 hearing is set for the judge to determine the amount of restitution and Flevaris’ ability to pay. Conditions of his probation are also expected to be determined at that time.
Flevaris pleaded guilty earlier this month to 13 counts of aggravated burglary; four counts of theft over $10,000; three counts each of theft over $1,000, theft $1,000 or more, and theft $500 or less; and one count each of burglary, theft over $500, theft under $500, and shoplifting.
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