BANGOR – An Ellsworth man told a judge Wednesday that it was a severe heroin habit that caused him to steal clothing from Filene’s department store last August.

Jeremy Grindle, 23, who already is serving time for selling heroin in the Ellsworth area, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Penobscot County Superior Court to Class B robbery.

Justice Jeffrey Hjelm sentenced Grindle to four years in prison with all but 17 months suspended, the same sentence Grindle received last month in Hancock County Superior Court on drug charges. The two sentences will be served concurrently as part of a plea agreement with the Penobscot County District Attorney’s Office.

According to Assistant District Attorney Greg Campbell, Grindle was seen last August by Filene’s store security officers concealing clothing items in his backpack. Campbell told the court that Grindle went into a men’s room and tore the sensor tags off the clothing and put them in the backpack.

When approached by a female security officer, Grindle took a swing at her, hitting her on the hand, Campbell said, hence the robbery charge instead of a theft charge.

Grindle fled the store with the backpack and was apprehended by Bangor police near Border’s Books, Music and Caf? located near the Bangor Mall.

Campbell said that while Grindle was out on bail for the robbery charge, he was arrested in Ellsworth and charged with dealing heroin from an Ellsworth motel room. Just last month, Grindle pleaded guilty to possession of heroin in Hancock County Superior Court.

While he was out on bail for the heroin charge, Campbell said Grindle was arrested in Bangor when he was found at the Ramada Inn in possession of drug paraphernalia, including needles.

Last month, he pleaded guilty to violation of his bail in 3rd District Court in Bangor and was sentenced to four days in jail.

Grindle told Justice Hjelm that his mind was made up to plead guilty to the robbery charge on Wednesday, despite concerns from his attorney, Kevin Barron of Bangor, who told the court the sentence of four years with all but 17 months suspended was too harsh.

Grindle also was placed on probation for four years and was ordered to pay Filene’s $641.46 in restitution because the stolen clothing was damaged.

Barron said his client had led a life consumed by alcohol and drug abuse and had fallen victim to the “new and potent” heroin.

“I’d like to get help for my addiction,” Grindle told the judge. “This is a potent drug and I got wrapped up in it. All of this was about the drugs. … I have a 4-year-old daughter who I’m not allowed to see. It’s ruined my life.”

Grindle said that at the height of his addiction, he was shooting up 30 to 40 bags of heroin a day.