Five people have been charged by Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton in connection to a string of burglaries in Genesee County that occurred over the past three months.

According to police reports generated by eight separate police agencies, at least 22 homes were broken into between April 12th and June 14th, 2012 throughout Genesee County. According to the police reports, a variety of items and money were stolen in the townships of Clayton, Davison, Flint, Fluching, Grand Blanc, Montrose, Mundy and Richfield. Investigations into burglaries in other communities continues.

The ring leader, Tony Jay Zelenka, 31 of Flint, is charged with 19 counts of Home Invasion Second, a 15-year felony, and three counts of Home Invasion First, a 20-year felony.

His girlfriend, Donalee Kay Komarowski-Ward, 47 of Flint, is charged with eight counts of Home Invasion Second and one count of Home Invasion First. Her son, Daniel Komarowski, 25 of Flint, has been charged with one count of Home Invasion Second.

According to Prosecutor Leyton, these same individuals are suspects in a number of burglaries in Saginaw County as well.

"Based on what we know from the investigations, it appears the string of burglaries were done to support a heroin addiction," said Leyton. He added the defendants would steal items from homes and then trade them for drugs.

Two individuals have been charged related to the delivery of heroin and cocaine to Zelenka and Komarowski-Ward. Willie Lee Joins, 41 of Flint, is charged with one count of safe breaking and two counts of drug delivery and his accomplice, Dennis Wayne Leonard, 42 of Grand Blanc, is charged with safe breaking and possession of burglary tools. According to police reports, some of the stolen goods given to Jones and Leonard in exchange for drugs were kept in safes so the pair had to break into them to get the valuables inside.

"We have seen a comeback of the heroin trade in our community," said Prosecutor Leyton. "As these cases today clearly show, drug addiction can leave a wake of destruction in its path that ripple throughout the community in so many ways and can affect countless numbers of innocent people."

 

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