A Natrona County man was sentenced to three years probation Thursday for breaking into a neighbor's home in November.

Natrona County District Court Judge Catherine Wilking handed down the sentence to Wade Curtis Miller, who pleaded guilty in May to one count of unlawful entry. The charge, a felony, carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Three other counts filed against Miller were dismissed per the plea deal.

Wilking agreed with the terms of the plea agreement and said the supervised probation term accompanies an underlying suspended prison sentence of three to five years.

Miller, who was 45 at the time of his arrest, told the court he apologized for what he did adding his crime brought shame to his family.

His defense attorney Thomas Smith said he had a hard time understanding what happened in what he called an unusual case.

Court records say Miller, who lived in the 5000 block of Okeepa -- west of Casper off Wyoming Highway 220 -- was president of the homeowner's association and had an "ongoing battle" with the victim regarding the condition of the victim's rented property.

On Nov. 26, Miller went to the victim's house and urinated in the victim's generator. An argument ensued, and the victim then went back inside his house.

Miller reportedly picked up a wooden post and used it to break the victim's sliding glass door. He then entered the victim's home and hit the victim with the post. During the change of plea hearing, Assistant District Attorney Dan Itzen told the court that Miller was too intoxicated to remember the event.

He was initially charged with aggravated assault, but subsequent court records say the injuries were not as severe as initially reported.

The victim apparently wasn't blameless.

During the change of plea hearing, Itzen said his office had been unsuccessful in contacting the victim and working out a figure to determine any restitution.

Thursday, Itzen said the victim, Brandt Loepp, had been on the run because he was an alleged methamphetamine dealer.

Loepp was recently arrested and has been charged with several felonies, Itzen said.

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