SPRINGFIELD — A Springfield man accused of breaking into three novelty stores to steal sex toys has entered a surprise guilty plea.
Daniel Edward Ray on Tuesday unexpectedly pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree burglary. The 36-year-old Ray had been scheduled to appear in Greene County Circuit Court for a pretrial conference, but elected to reverse an earlier not-guilty plea. He will be sentenced in September.
Prosecutors said no plea bargain had been reached with Ray.
Police said they arrested Ray in January after he stole a large number of sex toys from Cosmic Fish, Victoria’s Palace and Adam and Eve in three break-ins over a 90-minute span.
A probable cause statement said Ray claimed he was high on methamphetamine at the time, which drove him to do “crazy things.”