Sandpoint burglary suspect admits guilt

SANDPOINT — A North Idaho man pleaded guilty Tuesday to burglarizing the home of a vacationing Sandpoint doctor earlier this fall.

In exchange for the admission of guilt, a companion grand theft charge against Ronald Anthony "Tony" Gillispie was dismissed. District Judge Steve Verby accepted Gillispie's plea and scheduled a Dec. 1 sentencing hearing.

Gillispie, 30, was arrested at Dr. Brad Schwartz's home on Sept. 5, after neighbors who were looking after the place discovered him there. Court documents allege Gillispie unsuccessfully tried to pass himself off as Schwartz.

At the time of his arrest, Gillispie was awaiting sentence in a case stemming from a February 2004 incident in which he was accused of impersonating a Sandpoint Police officer in order to gain entry to an apartment, where he sexually assaulted one of its occupants. Gillispie was originally charged with rape, but the charge was downgraded to aggravated battery following plea negotiations between the prosecution and defense.

Gillispie will be sentenced on both the aggravated battery and burglary charges at the Dec. 1 hearing. He remains held at the Bonner County Jail with bail set at $100,000.