ESCANABA - An Escanaba man pleaded guilty to stealing thousands of dollars from a relatives' safe in January. He confessed to the crime during his plea hearing in Delta County Circuit Court on Friday.
Ryan James Fontaine, 25, will be sentenced on Aug. 6 on third-degree home invasion, a five-year felony, and attempted larceny $1,000-$20,000, a two and a half-year felony.
In exchange for guilty pleas on the above two counts, the prosecution agreed to dismiss Fontaine's original charges of second-degree home invasion, larceny $1,000-$20,000, and a habitual offender notice. Prosecutor Steve Parks also agreed not to pursue safe-breaking charges.
In a statement to the court, Fontaine said he was working on income taxes Jan. 21, when he was looking for paperwork in the relatives' safe and came across cash inside the vault. A few days later, on Jan. 27, when no one was home, he used a key he had to enter the residence on South 30th Street, he told Judge Stephen Davis on Friday.
"I went into their safe and I took a good amount of money," said Fontaine, admitting he did not have permission to enter the home with the intent to take money from the safe. He said he stole $8,800.
Fontaine remains lodged in the county jail.