Guzzo convicted

A former Duluth high school hockey captain was convicted today of helping plan a Congdon Park home invasion burglary in which a mother and her 9-year-old son were threatened at gunpoint.

A jury verdict was announced about 2½ hours after deliberations began at noon.

Ian Guzzo, 20, of Two Harbors, was charged in St. Louis County District Court with aiding and abetting first-degree burglary in connection with the Aug. 30, 2007, crime, in which two other men pleaded guilty and are serving prison sentences.

Guzzo was a Marshall School hockey teammate of William Hurley — the son and brother of the mother and 9-year-old boy who were terrorized at gunpoint during the crime — and occasionally stayed with the Hurley family during the 2006-07 high school hockey season.

Guzzo is accused of drawing a detailed map of the inside of the Hurley residence. The map was found among the belongings of David Schiller. Schiller is the convicted ringleader of the home invasion.

Guzzo admitted that he drew the map but testified Friday that he didn’t believe Schiller would really carry out the crime. He said his near-lifelong friend and neighbor pressured him into providing the map. He said he has regretted his action every day since he learned of the crime.

St. Louis County prosecutor Mark Rubin pointed out to jurors that Guzzo was a leader as one of three captains of the Marshall hockey team and suggested that the defendant should have been able to ignore Schiller’s request.

Floerke, Rubin and defense attorney William Paul worked on jury instructions Friday and again this morning.

Guzzo has no prior criminal record. He faces a potential guideline prison sentence of four years.

Tags: two harbors, crime and courts, news