From Burglaries to Plea Change: The Case of Jacob Iten and Amar Kovacevic

Jacob Iten, a man involved in multiple business burglaries, has recently been charged with theft and burglary in Cass County. He has over 20 counts across six court cases from December 2023 to May 2024. Initially facing charges of burglary, theft, unlawful vehicle entry, and refusal to halt in relation to the December 2023 burglaries, Amar Kovacevic pleaded guilty to two burglary charges and one theft charge on May 6. The other charges against him were dismissed.

Kovacevic was sentenced to 5 years in the Department of Corrections but will serve less than a year due to receiving credit for the 137 days already spent behind bars. He must first serve 1 year and 1 day, followed by 18 months of supervised probation. Iten’s accomplice has numerous open cases related to burglary, theft, and drug possession. Kovacevic’s plea change comes after new evidence emerged that exonerated him of some of the original charges.

The December 2023 burglaries took place at multiple businesses throughout the city. Kovacevic and Iten were caught on camera breaking into one of the businesses and stealing valuable merchandise. The stolen items were worth thousands of dollars, and it was a significant blow to the business owners who had invested heavily in their stores. Despite this setback, the community came together to support the affected businesses and help them recover from the loss.