RivCo's 'Snake Burglar' Pleads Guilty To 54 Felony Counts

RIVERSIDE, CA — A man who slid on the ground to break into over 50 Riverside County businesses — earning him the "snake burglar" moniker — pleaded guilty Thursday and was immediately sentenced to seven months in jail, 12 years of mandatory supervision, and ordered to pay restitution of at least $158,235.

The 54 guilty pleas from 32-year-old Christopher Michael Paul Jackson involve 54 burglaries at different locations in Riverside and Moreno Valley, including restaurants, health clinics, medical offices and beauty salons, according to a news release from the office of Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin.

Jackson was expected to be released from custody Thursday due to time already served, the DA's office said.

When Jackson is set free, he must stay at least 100 yards away from the businesses he stole from, and he will be required to complete a six-month residential substance abuse treatment program. He must also wear a GPS monitoring bracelet during his 12-year mandatory supervision.

Although prosecutors signed off on Jackson's plea deal, the DA's office criticized the sentence.

“Unfortunately, this case, although uniquely named, is not unique in California,” Hestrin said in a released statement. “It is unconscionable that a habitual offender like Christopher Jackson can steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from hard-working people, admit to it, and legally serve less time in jail than the time it will take his hundreds of victims to recoup their losses.”

Because of the non-violent nature of his crimes, "and as a direct result of Proposition 47 and AB 109, Jackson was not eligible to receive any prison time," the DA's office said.

California Assembly Bill 109, known as "realignment," was passed by the state Legislature and signed into law in April 2011 by then Gov. Jerry Brown. It was a result of a U.S. Supreme Court order that mandated California reduce its overcrowded prison population. The law's effect was early release for some non-violent offenders, while other non-violent offenders were sentenced to time in county jail rather than state prison.

In 2014, California voters passed Prop. 47, a law that reclassified some non-violent felonies to misdemeanors. In Jackson's case, he pleaded guilty to 54 felony counts.

Patch reached out to the DA's office for clarification about the impact of Prop. 47 on Jackson's case.

"Because of law changes such as AB109 and Prop 47, the ability of prosecutors to negotiate prison time has been severely reduced, or in this case completely diminished," the county agency said in an emailed response.