FARMINGTON — A Lewiston man pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing TVs, medical marijuana and guns from a disabled Rangeley man while he was lured to a mall in Auburn in April 2015.
Steven Sharpley, 21, of Lewiston pleaded guilty in Franklin County Superior Court to a charge of felony theft and a misdemeanor charge of stealing drugs.
More serious felony charges of theft and burglary were dismissed.
The victim had kicked a co-defendant, Danielle Nelson, 26, out of his house on April 3, 2015, and dropped her and her possessions off at her Lisbon home she shared with another co-defendant, Kevin O’Donnell, 26, of Lisbon, Rangeley police previously said. The following day, Nelson arranged to meet the victim at a mall in Auburn so he could drop off the rest of her items, but she didn’t show up as planned and called him and asked him to wait for her.
If Sharpley’s case had gone to trial, the victim would have testified that when he arrived home on April 4, his house had been burglarized but his door was still locked, Assistant District Attorney Claire Andrews said. He would testify that a loaded Beretta handgun, a 12-gauge shotgun, a black powder gun and another firearm, two large flat-screen TVs, medical marijuana, cash and a Sony PlayStation 3 were missing, she said. He would also testify that Nelson had the keys to his residence and knew where everything was.
Rangeley Sgt. Jared Austin would testify a witness told him Nelson planned to steal the victim’s property and that Nelson eventually admitted to the burglary and theft.
Testimony would also be heard that Sharpley drove Nelson and O’Donnell to the victim’s house and admitted he saw them bring the items out of the house, Andrews said.
Justice William Stokes accepted Sharpley’s guilty pleas and the one-year deferred sentencing agreement that requires Sharpley to pay a total of $680 restitution together with Nelson.
If Sharpley completes the agreement, he will be able to withdraw his plea to the felony charge and plead to a misdemeanor charge of theft, pay a $400 fine and have the misdemeanor drug charge dismissed, Stokes said.
If he does not comply with the agreement, the pleas stand and the court will decide his sentence, Stokes said.
The felony conviction carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $5,000 fine and two years probation, Stokes said.
Sharpley is scheduled to return to court on April 21, 2017.
Nelson pleaded guilty Nov. 4, 2015, to felony burglary and theft charges. She was sentenced to four years in prison, with all but two years suspended and three years of probation. She was to serve her sentence while serving another sentence of two years for a probation violation.
She was also ordered to pay the $680 restitution with the co-defendants, if convicted, once the cases were resolved.
O’Donnell, whose case has not been resolved, faces felony charges of theft and burglary, and misdemeanor charges of stealing drugs and violating conditions of release.
dperry@sunmediagroup.net
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