MONROE — A teen suspect charged with 70 counts related to multiple area burglaries pleaded guilty on Friday in Green County Circuit Court but will ultimately spend only about a year in county jail.

That’s according to a plea agreement reached with the defendant in court. As part of the agreement, 18-year-old Zachary Michael Steele was given probation on many of the charges but ultimately found guilty on one of the felonies. As such the defendant was sentenced to 12 months conditional jail time on count 43 -- to run consecutive to a Rock County case.

In that case, records indicate, he pleaded guilty to burglary, a Class F felony, in Rock County Circuit Court.

While he has avoided a lengthy prison sentence due in part to his young age, a prosecutor in the case said the penalty for violating terms of his probation is significant.

“He’s got a prison sentence hanging over his head,” if he does not comply, said District Attorney Craig Nolen.

Steele was accused in a string of burglaries from throughout the region last year, and while he may have had accomplices, he was one of the main defendants, authorities said. An assault rifle was among the items taken — and recovered — as part of the investigation. Some of the items were valued at more than $2,500, according to court records.

Calling them “crimes of opportunity” the suspect or suspects would take just about anything, Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley has said, including chain saws and power tools — anything with resale value. Police surmise the combined property is worth many thousands, although no official totals are available. 

All told, Steele has been charged with numerous felonies, many counts of residential burglary, possession of burglary tools, theft, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The suspects were caught on video in at least one location, Kelley said. He wore a mask, a pair of gloves; and was careful to hit mostly rural businesses with few people around to see them, they said. But that did not stop people from seeing reports of the crimes and identifying suspects.

“Someone recognized the mask,” Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley said at the time.

Steele faced many years in prison, as each burglary charge is a class H felony in Wisconsin, punishable by up to 12 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

Throughout most of the legal proceedings Steele was free on $2,500 bond.

Kelley initially said detectives suspected that Steele may have been involved in burglaries south of Illinois border and in other Wisconsin counties but so far, no charges have been apparently brought by any of the other jurisdictions.