4-Year Term For Burglar Won't Ease Pair's Minds

EVERETT - Michael Longozo could spend more than 22 years in prison for breaking into the home of a Marysville couple, but his victims may never escape their "sentence."

Shannon Layer said she was pleased with the exceptionally long sentence Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Thomas Wynne gave Longozo yesterday, but probably nothing could restore her sense of security.

"Maybe moving, but that's no guarantee," she said.

During the sentencing hearing, Brian Layer told the judge the couple can no longer sleep peacefully in their home as a result of the break-in. Their new baby sleeps in their bedroom because they are afraid to leave the child in a separate room, and they now keep a handgun next to their bed.

Brian Layer also said Longozo was lucky to be alive.

"It was my intention to kill the SOB who was in my house," said Layer, who fought with Longozo and held him at gunpoint until police arrived. He spared Longozo because his wife was 8 1/2 months pregnant at the time, and he feared she would have a miscarriage.

Longozo had been out of prison only 14 days on March 5 when he broke into the sleeping couple's Marysville home, took off his clothes, found a knife in the kitchen and crept up to their bedroom. Shannon Layer awakened her husband, and he fought with the naked Longozo.

In June, Longozo was convicted of first-degree burglary with sexual motivation, which carries a standard sentence of six years, three months to seven years, nine months. At yesterday's sentencing hearing, Snohomish County Deputy Prosecutor Mark Roe called Longozo a dangerous, predatory criminal and asked for the exceptional sentence.

Al Kitching, Longozo's attorney, argued that his client should be sentenced within the standard range. He was drunk and confused at the time of the break-in, he harmed no one and was not aggressive toward Layer when the two men fought, Kitching said.

Roe said he was "astounded that anyone could say Mr. Longozo didn't make one aggressive move. . . . All of his moves were aggressive moves."

Roe also listed Longozo's prior convictions, which include first-degree burglary, attempted first-degree rape, second-degree burglary and second-degree possession of stolen property. Longozo was under state Department of Corrections community supervision when he broke into the Layers' home.