FARMINGTON — A Franklin County justice sentenced a Hallowell man Friday to serve 4½ years in prison for a home invasion last year in Chesterville while a teenage girl was home alone.

Stephen Dingus, 32, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of burglary in Franklin County Superior Court. In a plea agreement, state prosecutors dismissed two misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief and possession of burglary tools.

Dingus, who officials say has an extensive criminal history, has been held on $20,000 cash bail since his arrest in Augusta on Nov. 14, 2013.

If the case had gone to trial, Assistant District Attorney James Andrews said the court would hear testimony from the then 17-year-old girl that she heard a car drive into her driveway and watched a man get out and come to the door on Nov. 11, 2013.

The man knocked on the door, and when no one answered, he used his shoulder to force the door open. When the man saw the girl through her partially open door, he took off in the car. She called for police and gave a description of the man and the car, Andrews said.

A local animal control officer would testify that he heard the call on the police scanner and observed a car of that description. He followed the car and reported what he saw to police, including that there were two occupants in it, Andrews said.

Franklin County Detective Kenneth Charles responded to the home, spoke to the girl and conducted an investigation. He would testify there were GPS coordinates on a cellphone, and when he called the cellphone, Dingus answered, and he spoke to him before Dingus hung up. There would also be testimony that the victim picked out Dingus from a photo lineup.

The girl did not wish to address the court, but her family has been advised of the agreement, Andrews said.

He presented Justice Robert Mullen with a list of Dingus’ prior convictions and sentences. The longest one was for 20 months on a probation violation and new criminal conduct, Andrews said.

Mullen accepted the plea agreement and sentenced Dingus to 4 ½ years with the Maine Department of Corrections.

“If you don’t start conforming your conduct to the law, if you are charged again and convicted, it is going to be worse than this time,” Mullen said.

Dingus’ uncle James Dingus, 32, of Gardner faces a felony burglary charge and a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief in the home invasion. His case has not been settled.

dperry@sunjournal.com