Attempted Burglary Driven by Heroin Addiction Scares Family

When an individual attempts - or success - to break into a home, searching for cash or items to sell to fund their drug habit, they can wreak havoc on the lives of others. In the case of a Northampton County judge, this is exactly what happened.

According to a Lehigh Valley report, Matthew Chupella attempted to break in the judge’s home. He was unsuccessful in his efforts, yet a nightmare apparently followed the crime for Judge Emil Giordano and his wife.

In surveillance video, Chupella was found by Giordano’s wife on their property. Chupella told Tina Giordano he had come onto the property searching for a lost dog. In the video, Chupella was caught putting on gloves and grabbing a metal bar before entering the property.

When Mrs. Giordano came home to find Chupella on her property, he had already kicked a side door out of its frame and was attempting to get through doors in the rear of the house. He had not yet made it inside when he was confronted.

The Giordanos report that they no longer feel safe in their home and blame Chupella for stealing a sense of security from the family. Chupella received two-and-a-half years in the state prison followed by five years of probation for his attempted burglary and a successful robbery of another residence.

Chupella told the court that he was suffering a relapse with his heroin addiction, which turned him into a criminal. He expressed a desire to live a fulfilling life as a contributing member of society, but he must receive help for his addictions to make that possible.