By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – A 21-year-old Alabaster man was sentenced to time in the Alabama Department of Corrections after he pleaded guilty recently to charges tied to a string of car burglaries and a shooting in 2016.

Osbaldo Cruz, who lists an address on Morning Mist Trail in Alabaster, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted assault and two counts of unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle during a late-March hearing in front of Shelby County Circuit Court Judge William Bostick.

Through a plea agreement, Cruz’ original charge of attempted murder was lessened to attempted assault, and nine felony counts of unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle, one felony count of third-degree theft of property and six misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree theft of property were dropped against him.

Bostick sentenced Cruz to 17 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised probation, and Cruz received 523 days of jail credit for time already served in the Shelby County Jail.

Bostick ordered Cruz to not initiate contact with any of the victims in the cases.

Cruz’ charges stem from a string of car burglaries off Kent Dairy Road and Second Avenue Southwest in Alabaster. According to his arrest warrants, Cruz broke into two 2007 GMC Yukons, a 2001 Ford Excursion, a 1998 Chevrolet S-10, a 2007 Ford F-150, a 1999 Toyota 4-Runner, a 2006 Honda Ridgeline, a 1998 Ford F-150, a 2000 Ford F-150, a 2009 GMC Yukon and a 2002 Chevrolet Blazer on the same night in April 2016.

During the string of car break-ins, Cruz stole U.S. currency, speakers, a leather jacket, checks, personal documents, headphones and nail guns from a neighborhood off Kent Dairy Road and stole car keys from a residence off Second Avenue Southwest.

During the incident, Cruz discharged a handgun at one of the victims, resulting in the attempted murder charge.

Attempted murder is a Class A felony, and could have carried a maximum sentence of life in prison. The unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle charge could have carried a maximum prison sentence of 10 years apiece.