George Washington Pleads Guilty to Five-County Burglary Spree

Accused burglar George Washington, who police said had broken into dry cleaners and other businesses -- including  in -- over 15 months, pleaded guilty July 9 in Lehigh County Court, according to a Morning Call report.

Washington, 29, of Allentown, had been charged along with his brother with more than 100 burglaries and attempted burglaries in five counties, including Northampton and Lehigh counties. 

Washington's brother, Angel Miguel Vargas, 31, also of Allentown,  to 20 to 40 years in jail for his role in the cases and ordered to pay $101,703 in restitution.

Washington's guilty plea eliminates the need for a trial, which was scheduled to start July 9 before Lehigh County Judge Maria Dantos.

Washington is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 22, the report said.

The burglaries and attempted burglaries, which included Personal Touch Dry Cleaners in Lower Nazareth, took place from October 2009 through January 2011.

There were no reports of his burglaries in Palmer and Forks townships.

Among the other locations were businesses in Salisbury, Lower Macungie, Upper Macungie, Bethlehem, South Whitehall and Upper Saucon townships, Bethlehem and Coopersburg.

There were also locations in Hanover Township in Lehigh County and Hanover Township in Northampton County, Freemansburg, Wind Gap, Quakertown, Allentown, Hazleton, St. Clair and the townships of Heidelberg, North Whitehall, Richland and Whitehall.

Total value of the items was put at $142,230, according to the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office. Damage was estimated at $76,829.