Mac Salad Bandit Pleads Guilty, Denies Stealing Mac Salad

LIVINGSTON COUNTY — Another man has pled guilty in connection to a break-in and theft from Build-A-Burger in Mount Morris, but denied under oath that anything other than a cash register and surveillance system was taken from the restaurant.

Matthew Sapetko, 34, pled guilty and allocuted to Burglary in the Third Degree, saying that he, James Marullo, and Timothy Walker Jr. broke into Build-A-Burger on Begole Road in Mount Morris in and left with a cash register and camera equipment. Police reported following a trail of macaroni salad back to Marullo’s apartment and recovering a bowl there.

“We threw some stuff on the floor, knocked some stuff over,” said Sapetko. “James Marullo stole a cash register and DVR system.”

Judge Robert Wiggins asked if anything else was taken. Sapetko answered ‘no.’

“I think it’s a shame you don’t use your intelligence more,” said Judge Wiggins upon accepting the plea.

The recommendation from District Attorney Greg McCaffrey is to 3 to 6 years in prison as a second felony offender, and $3,990 in restitution, payable jointly and separately with codefendants.

Judge Wiggins agreed to reduce Sapetko’s restitution to a civil judgment, but said that the New York State prison system can still collect that money if they choose.

Marullo, 35, pled guilty to Burglary in the Third Degree and was sentenced to 2 to 4 years in prison as a second felony offender, with eligibility for a sentence to the drug treatment program at Willard Correctional facility.

Walker Jr.’s case has no yet been resolved.