A man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of a Waldoboro man in July 2024.

Jason Goucher Hewett, 41, is one of three men charged in connection with the death of 45-year-old Kyle MacDougall in Cushing more than a year ago. Hewett entered an Alford plea in Knox County Superior Court on Monday, meaning that he maintains his innocence but admits the state could have convinced a jury he was guilty of manslaughter.

The other two men had identified Hewett as the one who shot MacDougall before his body was burned. One of them pleaded guilty in 2024 to hindering apprehension and abuse of a corpse and the other man pleaded guilty that same year to falsifying evidence.

Hewett agreed Monday to serve four years in prison, including two years he already spent in jail waiting for trial, and four years of probation, all according to an agreement first reported by the Midcoast Villager.

Hewett risks another 10 years in prison if he violates the terms of his probation.

“We were very clear that this was a risk assessment plea and one where, based on the facts and Jason’s record, he could have faced an extensive period of time if convicted,” Hewett’s attorney Andrew Wright wrote Tuesday in an email.

Hewett and the other two men, Mark Gagne and John Flower, were in a trailer together on July 7 when some of the men said MacDougall came in and asked to buy drugs, according to a Maine State Police affidavit.

Flower told police he saw Hewett grab a shotgun, according to the affidavit, and that Hewett told MacDougall to “check yourself fool” before shooting him in the neck.

Hewett has accused Flower of changing his story after initially telling police that MacDougall had shot himself, which is also mentioned in the affidavit.

Hewett will be sentenced March 10, according to Wright.