SILVANA — Prosecutors will encourage a judge to send a man police once referred to as “scum of scum” to prison for more than four years.

Robert Boone, 38, is accused of stealing from his Silvana neighbors — and the dead.

Boone regularly helped himself to his neighbors’ property since he was freed from prison in 2006 after serving time for stealing a wheelchair from a disabled man, court documents said.

He is accused of taking thousands of dollars in tools, antiques and collectibles in 2006 and 2007.

Detectives found stolen urn markers thrown in a doghouse when they raided his mother’s property, where Boone lived. Investigators believed one of the urns they found likely contained human ashes. The urn was broken and the ashes were gone.

Boone appeared Monday in Snohomish County Superior Court. He pleaded guilty to three felony crimes, including trafficking in stolen property and possession of stolen property. He also admitted resisting arrest, a misdemeanor.

Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Ed Stemler plans to ask a judge to sentence Boone to more than four years behind bars.

Boone’s attorney, Philip Wakefield, told Superior Court Judge Eric Lucas he plans to ask that Boone be given an alternative sentence offered to drug offenders.

Under that sentence, Boone would spend about two years behind bars and then be allowed to spend the other half of his sentence under community supervision while seeking drug treatment.

Boone’s mother allegedly told detectives her son has a “theft problem and drug problem,” court records show.

Boone is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 16.

He’s been in jail since April, when a judge ordered him held on $150,000 bail.

Boone was arrested at his mother’s home after police found stolen fishing equipment inside the van he was riding in, according to court documents. Detectives believe that Boone recycled some stolen lead fishing weights for cash.

When deputies went to arrest him, Boone allegedly hid under a bed. He fought with deputies when they tried to pull him out, court records said.

Boone’s neighbors met with Sheriff John Lovick and held numerous neighborhood meetings to discuss how to protect themselves. They also formed a block watch.

Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.