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Heroin addict sentenced to 9 years in prison for crime spree Heidi Leigh Urban Wednesday Oct 5, 2016 at 4:06 PM Oct 5, 2016 at 6:28 PM Nick Morgan Mail Tribune @mtcrimebeat A White City woman was sentenced Wednesday to more than nine years in prison after admitting to a string of crimes that included multiple burglaries and car thefts, including a new Porsche sports car. Heidi Leigh Urban, 27, read a repentant letter in Jackson County Circuit Court after admitting to multiple felonies, including burglary, car theft and identity theft in nine separate cases racked up between March and July. On multiple occasions she burglarized houses and fled in victims' cars. She attributed her crimes to heroin addiction. "I hope they can see I'm truly trying to change my life, one day at a time," Urban told Circuit Judge Lorenzo Mejia. Though Deputy District Attorney Virginia Greer called Urban's behavior a "blight" on the community, she noted that Urban had been eligible for drug court before the severity of her crimes escalated. "We were simply unable to keep her in the jail," Greer said. In March and April, Urban pawned an heirloom ring belonging to a friend who had let Urban stay in her home and stole cash, credit cards and forged checks from others. By July 9 she had stolen six vehicles, including a 2016 Porsche 911, a sports car that books out starting at $85,000. Greer said Urban followed a consistent pattern. Each time she was released from jail, Urban would enter a home while the residents slept between 2 and 3 a.m., rifle through purses and drawers searching for wallets, computer tablets, credit cards and car keys, then flee in the victims' car. "Every single one of these counts is a victim whose lives were turned upside-down," Greer said. The only victim who attended, Denise Pelikan, from whom Urban admitted to stealing credit cards and a 1998 Chevy Blazer SUV, agreed. "I would concur my life was turned upside-down," Pelikan said. Tracey Howell, Urban's court-appointed defense lawyer, said her client entered a treatment program at the Jackson County Jail after her capture July 9. Urban will celebrate her 90th day clean Oct. 10.  Urban lamented she'd lose nearly a decade with her now-6-year-old son because of her choice to use heroin. "I am prepared to face the consequence I brought upon myself," Urban said. "I'm so truly sorry to all of you, all of you." Urban was sentenced to 110 months in prison after pleading guilty to a single count of first-degree theft, nine counts of identity theft, eight counts of first-degree burglary, six counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, three counts of attempting to elude police in a vehicle, a count of first-degree criminal mischief, and misdemeanor counts of second-degree forgery, second-degree theft and attempting to elude police on foot. Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @MTCrimeBeat.