PARIS — A judge sentenced a Sandy River Plantation man Wednesday to nine months in prison for stealing pain medication from a blind man in a wheel chair last year in Rumford.

Daniel Keirstead, 26, received two, five-year prison sentences, with all but nine months suspended, and three years of probation, after he agreed to plead no contest to felony charges of robbery, burglary and stealing drugs. He was fined $400. The sentence was stayed until Dec. 12.

Keirstead is prohibited from having contact with the man and from using drugs and alcohol, and must undergo substance abuse counseling.

In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dropped charges of misdemeanor assault and violation of conditions of release.

Co-defendant Jennifer Malchisky, 32, also of Sandy River Plantation, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of stealing drugs and had more serious charges of robbery and burglary dropped by prosecutors. 

Active-Retired Justice Robert Clifford agreed to the prosecutors’ recommended two-year deferred disposition for Malchisky. If she abides by the conditions of her release, she will be allowed to withdraw her guilty plea and plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge. 

According to police, on Friday, Dec. 13, 2013, a man who is blind and in a wheelchair reported two people entered his Rumford apartment, placed a hand over his face so he could not yell and took 159 oxycodone pills from his pants.

Prosecutors said the man was authorized to have the narcotic for medical purposes.

The man recognized Keirstead’s voice because he and Malchisky had stayed at his apartment weeks before the robbery, police said. A tenant in the apartment recognized Keirstead as he fled and police matched footprints from the scene to Keirstead’s shoes, Assistant District Attorney Joseph O’ Connor said. 

Keirstead and Malchisky were arrested on Dec. 15, 2013.

ccrosby@sunjournal.com