FARMINGTON – A Freeman Township man was sentenced Friday to 15 months in prison for burglarizing three homes of people he knew in Strong.

Glendon Ladd, 20, pleaded guilty in Franklin County Superior Court to breaking into houses on South Strong Road, Church Hill and Frederick roads in April 2008.

“I’m sorry for what I did to the victims. I promise it will never happen again. I just need some help,” he told the court.

Eleven guns were taken in the burglaries, Assistant District Attorney James Andrews said, and all but one was recovered. Prescription pain medication, a safe and a locked box were also taken during the incidents, he added.

Ladd, a co-defendant with two others, admitted to police that the guns were sold to get money for drugs, Andrews said.

Susan Pratt, whose home was burglarized, asked the court to impose the maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

“The items taken from our home had sentimental value,” she said. “We lost our sense of security.

“I lock every door. I lock every window,” Pratt said, and their dogs stay inside to guard the house during the day.

“When he is in jail, I sleep better at night,” Pratt said.

Ladd had several other charges brought against him after the burglaries, Andrews said, including forging his grandmother’s name on a check for about $500 and cashing it, and assaulting his mother when she wouldn’t call a doctor to get prescription medication for him.

Ladd pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of obstructing the report of a crime, three counts of violating condition of release, and one count of forgery. The assault charge was dropped, defense attorney Daniel Knight said. Ladd was sentenced to six months in jail on each, and they will run concurrently.

“You pled guilty to some very serious charges,” Justice Micheala Murphy said. “There is no plea bargain.”

Andrews asked for three years in a Department of Corrections prison with all but 18 months suspended and four years probation.

Andrews said the people whose houses Ladd entered were people he knew. He focused on the firearms because he knew he could get cash for them to support his drug habit, Andrews said.

Ladd continued to violate the law, even while the in the Franklin County jail using pills provided by another inmate, he said.

Andrews requested $900 be paid in restitution: $425 to the people who bought the guns, $300 for the remaining missing gun, and $175 for damage to the safe.

Knight argued for a sentence not to exceed nine months in a county jail. He said Ladd was young, did not have an adult criminal record, and it was such an unsophisticated crime that Ladd wrote out receipts to the buyers of the guns.

The underlying factor, Knight said, is a drug addiction. His client cooperated with getting guns back, paid his grandmother back and needs help, he said.

Ladd was given a five year sentence and must serve 15 months of it, then four years of probation after release.