AUGUSTA — A 26-year-old city man who committed 40 burglaries in Kennebec County and 53 other theft-related charges — for a total of 93 — pleaded guilty to all of them Monday morning in Kennebec County Superior Court.
John W. Grotton rode around with various law enforcement agencies to point out the homes he burglarized in 15 municipalities in central Maine, from Pittston through Benton.
He had a penchant for taking electronics, jewelry, firearms, name-brand watches and glasses, narcotics and jewelry. Occasionally he opted for tools, sometimes silverware and even a compound bow as well as a couple of Samurai swords and a tobacco grinder.
Grotton even committed some of them while he was out on bail for the earlier ones.
There was no mention in court of why he committed the crimes; an investigator previously said the items were sold and pawned and traded for drugs.
Justice Donald Marden continued the hearing until June 29 for sentencing to allow more time to notify some victims and to allow the defense attorney time to prepare a sentencing memorandum that would detail more about Grotton’s background.
Assistant District Attorney Brad Grant said the prosecutor’s office and the defense attorney jointly recommended that Grotton’s final sentence be 20 years in prison, with all but five years suspended, and eight years of probation.
While Grant did not mention restitution at the hearing, he said later it would be in the tens of thousands of dollars.
The offenses occurred last year between Sept. 1 and Dec. 23.
Grant told the judge that police pinpointed Grotton as the culprit after a Winthrop woman who had checked local pawn and jewelry shops for a unique necklace that had been stolen from her home Oct. 11.
A Farmingdale jewelry store owner called her to say it had been brought there, and police identified the woman who sold it as Emily L. Allen-Perry, Grotton’s girlfriend.
Grotton was confronted on Oct. 16, and confessed to a number of burglaries and thefts.
He posted bail, and then was arrested again when a Waterville woman reported that a red duffle bag with her karate clothes was among the items taken from her home Nov. 30.
That bag was found in the trunk of a car owned by Grotton’s sister Kiley Grotton, Grant said.
Grotton did not saying anything in court beyond acknowledging that the prosecutor correctly outlined the circumstances of the crimes, and that his guilty pleas were voluntary. He stood in court next to his attorney, Thomas Nale.
Grotton faces additional charges in other counties.
Allen-Perry, 22, of Jefferson, was indicted on 46 charges, and Kiley J. Grotton, 23, of Augusta, was indicted on eight charges. Both have pleaded not guilty, and the charges remain pending in Kennebec County Superior Court.
Betty Adams — 621-5631
badams@centralmaine.com
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