CASSOPOLIS — Anthony Cox has amassed quite a criminal record.

According to Judge Michael Dodge’s count, the 57-year-old Edwardsburg man has racked up 12 prior felonies and 16 prior misdemeanors across five states in the past 37 years.

Cox’s latest brush with the law came April 21, 2012, when an off-duty Michigan State Police detective caught Cox breaking into and stealing items from a vacant house on Redfield Road in Niles.

A Cass County jury found Cox guilty May 14 of five counts stemming from the incident, including breaking and entering of a building as an habitual offender fourth, which carries with it a term of life or any number of years in prison.

Dodge sentenced Cox to a minimum of four years in the Michigan Department of Corrections Friday in Cass County Circuit Court. Sentencing guidelines for Cox were 19 to 76 months, so the 48-month sentence fell within the middle of the guidelines.

“At age 57 your past criminal record… I have to say is horrendous,” Dodge said.

The home broken into was up for sale. Dodge said it was broken into the day before the sale was to go final.

The break-in resulted in $4,850 worth of damage, causing the sellers to reduce the sale price of their home. Cox was ordered to pay $4,850 in restitution.

He received credit for 254 days served.

Cox was on probation for an operating while intoxicated offense in Elkhart, Ind., when he broke into the home.