PARIS — A judge accepted a 25-year-old man’s guilty plea to charges that he ransacked his ex-girlfriend’s Norway apartment and killed her kittens, but the judge delayed sentencing after a disagreement between attorneys.
David L. Coffren of Salem Road in Salem Township pleaded guilty Tuesday to burglary, aggravated criminal mischief and two counts of cruelty to animals.
According to Assistant District Attorney Joseph O’Connor, the woman’s apartment was trashed. Damage included food taken from the refrigerator and thrown at the walls.
“Basically, the apartment was just completely destroyed,” O’Connor said.
He said police found the woman’s two 6- to 8-month-old kittens dead in the building. A veterinarian determined that both had suffered fractured skulls and one had a broken spine.
O’Connor said he and defense lawyer Edward Dilworth agreed that Coffren should serve eight months of a three and a half year prison sentence, with two years of probation. O’Connor said the conditions of probation would forbid Coffren from using or possessing alcohol or illegal drugs, have him undergo a psychological evaluation and attend counseling, and have no contact with his ex-girlfriend.
Coffren also pleaded guilty to a Franklin County charge of operating a vehicle after his license was revoked. Under the plea agreement, Coffren would serve 30 days concurrent to the sentence and pay a $500 fine.
O’Connor requested that Coffren be required to pay $4,190 in restitution to the woman, her landlord and the town of Norway. Dilworth requested that the restitution payments be delayed to allow Coffren to find employment upon his release from the Oxford County Jail, where he has been incarcerated for seven and a half months.
“He wants to take responsibility for his actions,” Dilworth said.
O’Connor disputed the request, saying the restitution requirement had been part of the plea agreement.
Justice John Nivison deferred sentencing until June 17 or 18 to allow the attorneys to discuss the issue further.
In November, a plea agreement was offered before Justice Roland Cole that would have Coffren serve 90 days of a two-year prison sentence with a period of probation and restitution payments. Cole refused to accept that plea, citing the violent nature of the animal cruelty charges.

mlangeveld@sunjournal.com