ELLSWORTH – A Surry man will serve 20 months in prison followed by four years of probation for his role in a string of burglaries that spanned several months and included nearly every town in Hancock County.

In theory, Robert Gray Jr., 21, could have received a combined sentence of more than 150 years for the 64 counts against him, ranging from burglary and theft to criminal mischief and illegal possession of a firearm.

Instead, most of Gray’s sentence was suspended as part of a deal between Hancock County Deputy District Attorney Carletta Bassano and defense attorney Laurence Willey.

Gray pleaded guilty Friday in Hancock County Superior Court to most of the 64 counts but pleaded no contest to a handful.

During the sentencing, Willey told Justice Andrew Mead that his client is not the same man today that he was in 2003 when the crimes began.

“When I got involved with this case, I wasn’t sure what I was getting into. I don’t think I’ve ever seen [this many] counts,” Willey said. “He’s accepted responsibility from the beginning and in the last few years has met a wonderful young woman and is now married. She’s helping him to get on the proper track.”

Bassano agreed.

“He seems to have turned the corner on these matters,” she said, noting that most of the charges against him stem from events more than three years old.

From the fall of 2003 to the summer of 2004, Gray broke into several businesses, town offices and even some schools around Hancock County. In most cases, Gray was looking for cash, Bassano said, and generally took safes, cash boxes or money bags.

“This is really quite an extraordinary set of cases that can only be described as a crime wave,” Mead said before agreeing to the plea.

As part of the deal, Gray also must pay restitution to the 31 victims involved, totaling almost $35,000. Gray told the judge he had little control over the thefts because of a controlling ex-girlfriend, Mandy Latchaw, who faces several charges as well.

Gray will begin serving his sentence Jan. 5.