Mason City man pleads not guilty to burglarizing Kensett home

MASON CITY — One of two Mason City men accused of breaking into a Kensett home and stealing firearms and credit cards has pleaded not guilty.

A criminal complaint states that law enforcement was called to the 500 block of Maple Street in Kensett after the report of a burglary that had taken place on November 13th. The home owner showed an officer an empty gun safe in a bedroom that had visibly been forced open. The owner said over 15 firearms and a stack of credit cards had been removed from the safe. A copy of a home security video showed two males entering the home through the garage wearing face masks.

39-year-old Andre Smith has been charged with second-degree burglary, a Class C felony. He was due in court today for his arraignment hearing but filed a written plea of not guilty last week in Worth County District Court. His trial is scheduled to start on February 4th.

The other suspect in the case, 20-year-old David Westendorf, pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. He was sentenced to a five-year suspended sentence and three years probation.