On Wednesday the Palmer Court found Jeffery Indellicaiti and Benjamin Cross guilty of 47 felony charges stemming from break-ins that took place on the Fish Lakes area near Skwentna.

It was back on April 28th of 2010 that Alaska State Troopers flew into the Fish Lakes area to investigate reports of burglaries that had taken place there. Several of the cabins in the area had been broken into and it was reported that a man was seen fleeing the scene from a second story window.

Troopers accessed the area via the trooper helicopter Helo-1. When they arrived and began their investigation, they found that cabins and residences in the area had suffered significant damage. Windows had been broken out or pried open, doors were kicked in, and the buildings ransacked. Items stolen from the cabins included guns, ammunition, and an ATV.

Some rooms of the buildings had furniture tipped on end in front of windows as if the individuals were barracading themselves into the homes. Some of the cabins had furniture flipped over and piled in the middle of the rooms. Residents in the area reported to the troopers who were investigating the incidents that a large amount of gunfire could be heard in the area for the previous ten days.

The trooper’s continuing investigation into the break-in gained a significant lead when it was found that two individuals, that would be later identified as Indellicaiti and Cross, had chartered a Lake Hood flying service to fly out to a cabin in the Fish Lakes area to live for a month on what they called an “Alaskan Vacation.

By April 30th, the troopers were back on their way out to the Fish Lakes area, first by aircraft, then by canoe and hiking, to look for the two individuals they believed were holed up in a remote cabin in the area.

When the troopers located the cabin, they verbally contacted the two individuals inside and a 45-minute stand-odd ensued. Eventually Indellicaiti and Cross agreed to exit the cabin unarmed.

After arresting the two men, troopers found 22 guns among the items stolen from the cabins in the area. The damage to the properties was estimated at $25,000.

Among the charges the two men were convicted of were Burglary I, Theft II, Criminal Mischief III and Vehicle Theft.