Man indicted for Saugus home invasion, robbery

SALEM – Indictments were handed down Wednesday afternoon by an Essex County grand jury against two men on separate cases relating to firearm and home invasion crimes.Joseph Ghella, 45, of 57 Harvest St., Dorchester, is charged with eight indictments that include breaking and entering with intent to commit a felony, larceny of property over $250, larceny of a firearm, malicious destruction of property over $250 as well as four counts of being a habitual offender.The charges arise out of a break-in at a Water Street home in Saugus on Jan. 4, 2009, where Ghella allegedly ripped a safe out of a wall and stole a firearm along with jewelry and electronic equipment.The case went unsolved until police were able to get a DNA match to Ghella from a pillow case found at the scene with blood on it.Because Ghella has prior convictions out of Norfolk Superior Court and Plymouth Superior Court, he faces a more severe punishment under the law.Assistant District Attorney Kim Faitella is prosecuting the case for the state.Also indicted was Socheat Sok, 25, of 99 South St., #1, Lynn, charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and possession of a firearm having been previously convicted of a violent crime.He was arrested on the morning of Nov. 5 after police raided his apartment and reportedly seized a .25-caliber firearm along with several rounds of ammunition for other firearms.Assistant District Attorney Michael Patten is assigned to prosecute the case.Indictments are not an indication of guilt, rather it is a legal process that allows a case to be transferred from Lynn District Court to Salem Superior Court allowing for a more severe punishment.