A Chesterville man pleaded guilty recently to robbing a couple at gunpoint in their home and forcing the husband to withdraw money from a nearby automatic teller machine while his wife remained held hostage.

The defendant, Michael E. Kidd Jr., 21, accepted a plea deal May 7 in connection with the Halloween night armed robbery kidnapping as well as three other burglaries, according to Kennebec County Superior Court documents.

The plea deal was identical to the agreements taken by two other men, Kevin S. Crandall, 28, of Wilton, and Marcus A. Thompson, 26, of Farmington, who each pleaded guilty last month to committing the same crimes with Kidd, according to court documents.

Chris Dilworth, the attorney representing Kidd, did not return a call Monday. Prosecutor James Andrews, a Franklin County assistant district attorney, also did not return a call Monday.

During separate appearances by Crandall and Thompson on April 20 in Franklin County Superior Court, Andrews described the armed robbery and kidnapping. He said Crandall, Thompson and Kidd were wearing black ski masks and gloves when they knocked on the couple’s door after breaking into three other unoccupied homes earlier in the day.

The couple, ages 65 and 64, opened the door, mistaking the men for trick-or-treaters. At least one of the men then pulled out a knife and handgun and they forced their way inside, knocking the husband to the floor, Andrews said.

Once inside, two of the men ransacked the house while the third kept a gun pointed at the couple, according to a police affidavit cited by Andrews. After taking $1,600 in cash, some jewelry and prescription painkillers, the men demanded that the husband drive them to an ATM to withdraw money from his account, police said.

Crandall kept the wife at gunpoint at the Seamon Road home while the husband drove Thompson and Kidd, each armed with handguns, to two banks in town, Andrews said. The husband withdrew $700 before they returned to his home and the men fled after threatening to kill the couple if they went to police.

Kidd on Friday also pleaded guilty to burglary charges for breaking into three other homes in the couple’s neighborhood earlier that same day, taking cash, firearms and other items while the homeowners were away.

He pleaded guilty to robbery and two counts of kidnapping for the Seamon Road home invasion. He will have to choose from two sentencing options offered as part of the plea agreement.

The first option consists of a mandatory 15 years behind bars, and he would face another 10 years in prison if he committed another crime during a four-year probation period upon his release.

The second option consist of the prosecution’s capping the initial prison term at 20 years, with conditions that allow Kidd’s defense attorney to ask the court to reduce the prison time. That arrangement also allows the court to establish the amount of added prison time he would face if he violated probation conditions.

Crandall and Thompson will have to choose one of the same two options. The three convicts are expected to have separate sentencing hearings on the same day some time in June, Andrews said.

David F. Robinson — 861-9287

drobinson@centralmaine.com