ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — An Elizabeth City man will spend 10 years behind bars for a rash of burglaries in 2019, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced.
Jonathan Peek, 33, was sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon in May 2023.
Between August and October 2019, the Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) investigated break-ins at three residences in Elizabeth City, according to court documents.
Peek is accused of stealing a checkbook and writing checks totaling more than $1,000, stealing six firearms — including three revolvers — and five gun holsters during the burglaries.
In a release, the DOJ says Peek was spotted during the second burglary but was not apprehended until the following break-in.
The third burglary was cut short when a resident returned home to find an "unfamiliar" vehicle parked in their yard, prompting them to call their son, according to prosecutors. Upon entering the home, the DOJ says the resident's son and his two co-workers found Peek, and a "scuffle" ensued.
Peek escaped from the group but was later chased by PCSO deputies through Elizabeth City, reaching reported speeds of 85 miles per hour before eventually crashing into a brick wall near the Elizabeth City State University campus, according to prosecutors. He was then brought into custody.
Through interviews with Peek's girlfriend, investigators determined he was responsible for three separate burglaries.
Peek has six prior felony convictions involving drug offenses, a stolen firearm and robbery and was on post-release supervision when he committed the burglaries, the DOJ said.
