A Juneau man charged with stealing checkbooks, a gun, ammo and other items from a local couple changed his plea to guilty Monday in Juneau Superior Court.

Joseph A.S. Allen, 29, agreed to plead guilty to two reduced charges in connection with the Dec. 19 crime: first-degree attempted burglary, a class ‘C’ felony, and attempted second-degree forgery, a class ‘A’ misdemeanor.

A class ‘C’ felony can carry up to five years in prison and an ‘A’ misdemeanor can carry up to one year.

A plea agreement reached with prosecutors calls for Allen to be sentenced to 24 months with 12 suspended for the burglary charge and 12 months with eight suspended for the forgery charge.

That means if the judge accepts the plea deal during a sentencing hearing later this month, Allen will serve a total of 16 months in prison.

Allen was originally indicted by a grand jury in January on four felony charges — one count of first-degree burglary, two counts of second-degree theft and one count of second-degree forgery.

The proposed plea agreement dismisses the two theft charges. It also calls for Allen to be placed on probation for three years, to pay restitution and to write a letter of apology to the affected family.

Prosecutors said Allen entered the residence of Honey Bee and Dale Anderson on Dec. 19 and stole about $3,840 worth of items. Those items included a CZ 375 Safari H&H 550 rifle with a Leupold scope, 150 rounds of 375 H&H ammo and a gun case, as well as two Wells Fargo check books, a Canon PowerShot digital camera and gift certificates.

Later that day, Allen tried to deposit a $4,500 check from Honey Bee Anderson at the Wells Fargo in the valley, according to an affidavit.

Police located and arrested Allen about nine days later on Dec. 27 after a string of three home break-ins was reported in the valley Dec. 26.

Police named him as a “person of interest” in connection to the break-ins, though charges in that case have not yet been brought.

Prosecutors say that’s because the investigation is still ongoing.

“There are ongoing investigations related to Joseph Allen that have not been charged because the investigations are not complete,” Assistant District Attorney Angie Kemp said. “The agreement reached in the Anderson case does not encompass those other investigations.”

Police could not be reached for comment on their investigation Monday afternoon.

The family victimized by one of the break-ins attended the court hearing Monday to listen to the proceedings, but declined to be identified or comment on the record.

Allen did not address the court, except to enter his pleas and answer routine ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions.

Juneau Superior Court Judge Louis Menendez scheduled a sentencing hearing to be held May 29.

Allen does not have any prior felonies, though court records show he was indicted on burglary, assault and false information charges in connection to unlawfully entering a woman’s home in 2001.

• Contact reporter Emily Russo Miller at 523-2263 or at emily.miller@juneauempire.com.