A man responsible for a series of break-ins last year in the Whispering Pines community outside of Starkville was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years behind bars.

Dennis Degraffenreid Jr., 60, pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary of a dwelling in Oktibbeha County Circuit Court. Judge Jim Kitchens sentenced Degraffenreid to 20 years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections system for each of the three counts, but the sentences will run concurrently. Degraffenreid also must pay a $500 fine, $2,280.10 in restitution and faces five years of post-release supervision.

The break-ins occurred May 15, 2009, along Whispering Pines Circle, just west of the Starkville city limit.

In one home, Degraffenreid stole four guns -- a Browning BAR .270, a Remington 742 .30-06, a Remington 1187 shotgun and a Remington 700 rifle, according to court documents. In another home, Degraffenreid stole a reciprocating saw and a chain saw.

The third count for which Degraffenreid pleaded guilty came from a burglary at the home of Oktibbeha County Administrator Don Posey. Degraffenreid took a fan and coolers full of food, among other items, Posey said, and left them in piles with other stolen items along a nearby tree line, Posey said.

When Degraffenreid returned to the scene later to retrieve the stolen items, police were waiting for him, Posey said.

As part of a plea agreement, the state retired four counts of burglary of an automobile, three additional counts of burglary and larceny of an automobile, two counts of receiving stolen property and one count of burglary and larceny of a shed.

"He got the whole neighborhood," Posey said.

Other court business

• Kitchens sentenced Edward Townsel to four years in the MDOC for possession of cocaine. Townsel also must pay a $200 fine and $200 in restitution.

• Kitchens sentenced James Britt to one year of house arrest, plus four years of supervised probation for DUI, third offense. He also must pay a $2,000 fine. If Britt fails to successfully complete the house arrest program, he faces five years in the MDOC.

• Kitchens sentenced Gregory West to one year of house arrest and four years of post-release supervision for one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. West also must pay a $300 fine.

• Judge Lee Howard sentenced Eric Bishop to one year in the MDOC, plus four years of post-release supervision for possession of cocaine less than .1 gram. Bishop also must pay a $1,000 fine.

• Howard sentenced Walter Young to 10 years in the MDOC for each of two counts of uttering forgery, but suspended both sentences and ordered Young on five years of probation. Young also must pay a $1,000 fine and $2,486.42 in restitution.

• Howard sentenced Derrich Howard to eight years in the MDOC for possession of cocaine, but suspended the sentence in lieu of five years probation. Howard also must pay a $500 fine.

• Kitchens sentenced Lacondra Guyton to five years probation and ordered Guyton to pay a $500 fine, plus $518.80 in restitution and $200 to the Victims Compensation Fund for one count of embezzlement.

• Roosevelt D. Linston must serve five years in the MDOC for violating the terms of the suspension of his sentence on one count of non-support of a child.

• Willie Ware violated the terms of his post-release supervision on a burglary of a dwelling charge and now must serve five years in the MDOC.