Two men, one from Ladd, the other from Wheaton, had several criminal counts of burglary and deceptive practice dropped to one criminal count in a guilty plea agreement Thursday sanctioned by Circuit Court Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr.

Christopher R. Cannone, 23, 315 N Chicago Road, Ladd, and Quentin L. Cobb, 18, 1725 S. Naperville Road, Wheaton, both pleaded guilty to one count of deceptive practices, a Class 4 felony, in a negotiated deposition with La Salle County prosecutor Greg Sticka.

Each defendant received a sentence of 180 days in county jail followed by 30 months of probation. The pair also were each ordered to pay restitution of $1,522.87 to a victim of the scam, Shanley's Television & Appliance Center, 515 W. Main St., Ottawa. Fines and costs in the case were waived.

The two men, along with Biff W. Denbo of Mark, were charged after an investigation into a phony check shopping spree last December where they falsely obtained two flat-screens TVs, antiques and a puppy from local businesses. Police investigators found the dog at a home near La Salle formerly rented by Cannone. It was returned to Furry Babies, a pet store in the Peru Mall.

Denbo, who actually wrote the fake checks and later told authorities he was "intimidated" by the other two into the scheme, previously pleaded guilty in the case.

Cannone and Cobb must report to county lockup on Friday, Jan. 15. Conviction in a Class 4 felony case could have resulted in one to three years sentence in prison.