Press Release: People v. Vandeburgh, Preston, 6/30/09

June 30, 2009
Bradford R. Fenocchio

District Attorney

PLACER COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY

10810 Justice Center Drive, Suite 240
Roseville, California 95678

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Date: June 30, 2009

Contact:

Art Campos

Public Information Officer

916-543-8076

Scott Owens

Acting Assistant District Attorney

916-543-8000

MAN GETS 10 YEARS, FOUR MONTHS FOR POSING AS SUREWEST EMPLOYEE

A Roseville man who spent six months impersonating employees of SureWest Communications, driving a company car and using a stolen SureWest credit card has been sent to state prison for 10 years and four months.

Preston Douglas Vandeburgh, 27, who pleaded guilty last month to five felony charges, was given the sentence today by Placer County Superior Court Judge Robert P. McElhany.

The charges include burglary, identity theft, unlawful taking of a vehicle, computer fraud and possession of credit card information with a prior conviction for identity theft.

In addition, Vandeburgh admitted to enhancements of having a previous strike for burglary and of having served a prior prison sentence.

“Since he pled to a strike, Mr. Vandeburgh will have to serve 80% of his 10-year term, meaning he will serve a little over eight years in prison,” Deputy District Attorney Rick Opich said.

Vandeburgh broke into SureWest offices in June 2008, taking equipment and confidential information belonging to employees. Using phony identification, the defendant occasionally came onto the SureWest campus, posing as an employee, Opich said.

The scheme ended in December when SureWest officials detected someone using one of their computers, which had been stolen, at an address in the city. Police went to the home, found numerous SureWest items taken in a burglary at the company offices and arrested Vandeburgh, Opich said.