A Paradise man who committed a string of strange burglaries was sentenced to 20 to 40 years in state prison this morning in Lancaster County Court.

Christopher Roy Welk, 29, was convicted of burglarizing an Amish home and then pleaded guilty to several crimes, including severing the propane line of another home and feeding it into the home, and cutting telephone and power lines to two other residences he tried to burglarize.

Judge Joseph Madenspacher told Welk he found the details of the crimes "very troubling," especially where female victims woke up to find him standing over them. "Quite frankly," the judge said, "it's scary."

Welk apologized and blamed his actions on alcohol and family problems, calling his crimes  "stupid and childish behavior."

Defense attorney Andrew Cooper had asked the judge for leniency, saying no weapons were involved and thankfully no one was hurt during the crimes, most of which happened in the southern end of Lancaster County.

Staff writer Janet Kelley can be reached at jkelley@LNPnews.com or 481-6026.