NORTHAMPTON — A South Hadley man was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to charges of stealing jewelry, coins and other items from two antique shops.

Hampshire Superior Court Judge James Manitsas sentenced Steven Skea, 65, of South Hadley, to five to seven years in state prison for stealing more than $130,000 worth of property from antique businesses in Northampton and Deerfield.

The the investigation began after The Collector Galleries in Northampton reported a burglary in August 2023, with surveillance footage showing a gloved suspect blocking a room with a ceiling tile. The company reported 100 pieces of jewelry and 200 pieces of cutlery missing. In late October 2023, Whitney Hill Antiques in Deerfield reported a burglary and theft of items including rare coins and antique jewelry. The estimated cost of the items ranged from $30,000 to $50,000.

After law enforcement obtained a warrant and searched his home, Skea admitted to selling stolen items to jewelers in Holyoke and Enfield and led investigators to several locations in his residence and garage, identifying numerous stolen pieces. During that search, investigators discovered a semi-automatic handgun Skea did not have a permit to possess.

Prosecutors charged Skea with two counts of breaking and entering in the nighttime to commit a felony, two counts of larceny in a building and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm.

The sentence of five to seven years was jointly recommended by Northwestern Assistant District Attorneys Joseph Webber and Alexa Pascucci and defense attorney Alfred Chamberland.

On the burglary charge, Skea could have faced up to 20 years in prison.

Skea has a substantial arrest record dating back to the 1980s, including multiple theft charges, drug offenses and several traffic violations, prosecutors said. He was previously convicted of receiving stolen property after a policeman found him with an envelope containing diamonds.

Asked for comment, someone at The Collector Galleries declined to be named but expressed disappointment at the outcome, saying: “It would have been nice to get a refund or any of the substantial items that were stolen back.” .