By Redacción
redaccion@latinocc.com
A man with a prior felony conviction was sentenced to nearly two decades in state prison for committing two residential burglaries in Simi Valley while on parole, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.
Matthew Rey Scott, 40, was sentenced to 19 years and eight months in prison following his conviction on March 26, 2025. A Ventura County jury found Scott guilty of two felony counts of first-degree residential burglary and one misdemeanor count of resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer.
Jurors also found true a special allegation that Scott committed a violent felony by entering one of the homes while it was occupied.
At the time of the incidents, Scott was on parole for a prior felony conviction for attempted first-degree residential burglary. The prior conviction qualified as a «strike» under California’s Three Strikes law, enhancing his sentence.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Craig Gardner of the General Trials Serious-Violent Felonies Unit prosecuted the case.
“Nineteen years and eight months is a substantial sentence and demonstrates that residential burglary is taken seriously in this community,” Gardner said. “It is hoped that this sentence will serve as a deterrent to others and make clear that such conduct will not be tolerated.”
The burglaries took place on the evening of Dec. 12, 2024. Around 7:15 p.m., Scott entered a home where a female resident saw a shadow in the hallway outside her bedroom. When she confronted him, the person she was speaking to on the phone called 911. Scott fled the scene, and no property was reported stolen. The victim told authorities she believed he entered through an open garage door.
Shortly after, Scott entered the attached garage of another home two blocks away, where a young family was present. Surveillance footage from the home captured Scott in both the garage and backyard. Simi Valley police officers quickly located him about three streets away. He was wearing a state parole ankle monitor at the time of his arrest.
