Suspect in Seattle home invasions of Macklemore and celebrity athletes pleads not guilty

SEATTLE — A man accused of breaking into the homes of Seattle-area celebrities, including baseball Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki and hip-hop artist Macklemore, and pepper-spraying people he encountered inside pleaded not guilty Monday to multiple charges

SEATTLE — A man accused of breaking into the homes of Seattle-area celebrities, including baseball Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki and hip-hop artist Macklemore, and pepper-spraying people he encountered inside pleaded not guilty Monday to multiple charges.

Patrick Maisonet, 29, was arrested at his home on Aug. 21 in connection with another burglary, to which he has pleaded not guilty, and has been held on bail totaling more than $2 million.

Investigators say surveillance images and cellphone data helped link him to the break-ins, and that some of the precious items taken during the heists — including Macklemore’s Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders championship rings — were later recovered from a south Seattle jewelry store.

The break-ins mirrored a slew of burglaries at the homes of well-known professional athletes across the U.S. in recent months. The players have been targeted because of the high-end products believed to be in their homes and sometimes the thefts happen when they are away with their teams for road games.

The FBI has warned sports leagues about crime organizations targeting professional athletes. The NFL and NBA have also issued security alerts after burglaries at the homes of such star athletes as Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. Seven people were charged in connection with those burglaries in February.