Ballston Spa woman gets 12 years for home invasion

A Ballston Spa woman was sentenced Monday to 12 years in prison for breaking into a Milton home in March and causing harm to someone inside, Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen announced.

Laurie Cannelli, 52, was the last of four people to be sentenced for their roles in the March 10 home invasion, which Heggen said was not a random attack but rather a drug-involved crime.

Timothy Sims, Linda Sims and Arthur Brust Jr. all pleaded guilty previously and were given lighter sentences, but Cannelli was the “ringleader who organized and directed the involvement of her co-defendants,” Heggen said.

“This significant 12-year prison sentence was sought because of the seriousness of the offenses, as well as taking into account the lengthy criminal history the defendant has amassed both in New York state and other states throughout the country,” Heggen said in a prepared statement.

Cannelli pleaded guilty in June to felony burglary, for which Judge James Murphy III also sentenced her to five years of post-release supervision, Heggen said.

Cannelli also drew a concurrent term of eight years in prison and three years of post-release supervision for felony criminal possession of a controlled substance, the district attorney said. She admitted in June to possessing an eighth of an ounce of cocaine on Oct. 29.