Hyrum man admits to botched home robbery and other crimes

Booking photo for Peter Silva (Courtesy: Cache County Jail).

LOGAN — A 41-year-old Hyrum man has confessed to a bizarre crime spree that occurred last summer, less than a month before he was scheduled to go on trial.  Peter Silva accepted a plea deal that could send him to prison.

Silva appeared in 1st District Court Tuesday morning.  He pleaded guilty to burglary and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, both second-degree felonies; possession or use of a controlled substance, a third-degree felony; and attempted escape from official custody, a class A misdemeanor.

Last August, deputies were called to a convenience store in Wellsville.  A citizen reported that Silva had tried to force entry into their vehicle, claiming that he needed to charge his cell phone.

Several hours later, deputies found an abandoned vehicle parked on SR-101.  The car was later determined to be stolen.  Inside was a 9mm handgun.

As deputies were investigating the vehicle theft, dispatchers received a call about a burglary in progress in the area of 5000 South 2600 West.  When they arrived on the scene, a citizen was holding Silva at gunpoint.  He had drugs and paraphernalia in his pockets along with a payroll check stolen from the homeowner.  He also had keys to the earlier reported stolen vehicle, and other credit or debit cards.

Silva was taken to the Cache County Sheriff’s Office for questioning.  While inside an interview room, he removed a light switch and caused a breaker to trip, shorting out the lights in the room.  Deputies took him to the hospital, where he was treated for electrical burns to his fingers and later booked into jail.

As deputies were trying to process Silva at the jail, he attempted to blend in with some volunteers leaving the facility.  He was observed by jail control staff, walking out of the booking area and trying to leave before being caught again.

During Tuesday’s court appearance, Cache County Deputy Attorney Barbara Lachmar explained that as part of the agreement, prosecutors agreed to drop 8 remaining charges against Silva.  She said, she had reviewed the plea deal with the lead detective in the case, who agreed with the conditions.

Silva was scheduled to be sentenced November 19.  He could face up to 15 years in prison.


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1 Comment

  • Neighborhood Watch Dog October 8, 2019 at 10:38 pm Reply

    Nice work detectives. I live in Hyrum. If he were to ever burglarize my house, he would be mopped off the public right of way.

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