A Florida man was sentenced to two-and-a-half to 20 years in a state prison this month in connection with a spree of distraction burglaries in the area, including two in Westmoreland County.

Steve Nichols, 57, previously pleaded guilty to burglary, theft and related charges in connection with seven burglaries in five counties, according to the state attorney general’s office. Prosecutors said older residents were targeted.

The Westmoreland County incidents happened Nov. 7, 2018 in Mt. Pleasant Borough and two days later Latrobe, according to court papers. In the borough, a resident reported $1,500 was missing from his safe, police said.

Two Latrobe residents said there was $400 and about $4,500 worth of jewelry missing from their home. Investigators said Nichols was the driving force behind the burglaries, during which suspects claimed to be representing a utility company and distracted the residents while someone else stole items from their homes in Butler, Erie, Indiana, Lackawanna and Westmoreland counties.

Nichols’ son, Archie Marino, 39, of Florida also was charged in the scheme. He previously was sentenced to three and a half to 10 years, according to court records.

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