PORTLAND — A Brownfield man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on Thursday to one count of theft from a federally-licensed firearms dealer.

According to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Leonard Jean Jr., 34, pleaded to committing burglary on the night of July 14, 2010. Jean broke into a gun shop in Denmark and stole 23 firearms, all of which were recovered by authorities.

Jean was a customer at the gun store the same day, according to the release. The gun shop is inside the home of its owners, who were asleep upstairs when Jean entered the house to get to the attached store.

Jean faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after a presentence report by the United States Probation Office.

Maine State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case as part of Maine’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, a program designed to reduce gun violence and illegal gun possession.