FARMINGTON – A man accused of attacking and robbing a university student of his wallet on Dec. 9, 2007, was sentenced Monday to serve 18 months of a six-year sentence in state prison. He was also ordered to serve four years of probation when he is released, is prohibited from going on University of Maine at Farmington property, and is to have no contact with the victim or his family.

Caleb Hupper, 18, of Chesterville had previously pleaded not guilty to a charge of robbery but changed his plea to guilty Monday. A charge of aggravated assault was dismissed by state prosecutors.

He has been held on $10,000 cash bail at the Franklin County jail in Farmington since his arrest Dec. 12.

If the case had gone to trial, Assistant District Attorney James Andrews said the court would have heard testimony that the victim, a Massachusetts man, was walking from one UMF building to another for classes in the High Street area when he observed a person come up behind him and strike him. He blacked out and didn’t regain consciousness until ambulance personnel helped him, Andrews said.

The victim suffered an injury to his eye and a mild concussion, Andrews said. The victim would also have testified he didn’t know Hupper, he said.

The state would also have presented testimony that a witness was driving Hupper’s car and that they went to UMF and parked at the computer center lot, Andrews said.

The witness would also have testified that Hupper stated that he was angry and wanted to beat someone and steal a wallet, Andrews said. The witness also would have said that he watched Hupper strike the victim several times, Andrews said.

Besides the recommended six-year sentence, with all but 18 months suspended, and four years probation, Andrews said, there were conditions of release that prohibit alcohol or illegal drug use or possession and no use or possession of dangerous weapons including firearms.

Assistant District Attorney Andrew Robinson said also that Hupper had been in an after-care program connected to a juvenile conviction, and that the juvenile system may want him to complete that sentence, which would be up when he was 21. Robinson said he didn’t think that was going to happen but there was a possibility.

Justice Michaela Murphy said if that occurred, Hupper could come back to the court.

Andrews also presented the court with a victim’s impact statement. Although the victim and his family were not present Monday, they had concerns about Hupper’s anti-social behavior and substance abuse problems and wanted the court to be made aware of Hupper’s record as a juvenile, Andrews said.

Hupper has no record as an adult and had been released from a state juvenile detention center less than month before the robbery occurred, he said.

Andrews said Hupper’s juvenile offense was theft of a firearm and, when in state custody, criminal mischief and trafficking in contraband.

The family wanted it brought up, he said, and have Hupper receive counseling before he is released on the adult charge to prevent the behavior from happening again.

Hupper’s attorney, Woody Hanstein, said that although it is no excuse, Hupper had been very intoxicated when the robbery occurred.

He has to figure some things out for himself, Hanstein said, and he knows if he doesn’t change his ways, he’ll be right back to prison.

Murphy said Hupper would be a good candidate for a substance abuse program at the state prison and recommended he take advantage of it.