KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Nearly a year after a police chase through Swanzey and Winchester ended in his arrest, a Winchester man pleaded guilty in Cheshire Superior Court today to multiple charges and was sentenced to a combination of state prison and county jail time, much of it suspended.

Demetrius Dargan, 33, entered guilty pleas to reckless conduct with a deadly weapon (motor vehicle), disobeying a police officer, operating after being certified as a habitual offender, possession of a controlled substance, and a separate reckless conduct charge, according to court records. Each of the charges stemmed from the Nov. 14, 2024, incident in which Dargan led state and local police on a pursuit in a stolen car.

On the most serious count — reckless conduct with a deadly weapon — Judge David Ruoff sentenced Dargan to two to six years in the New Hampshire State Prison. That sentence was fully suspended for seven years on the condition of good behavior and compliance with probation.

Dargan also received four separate 12-month Cheshire County Department of Corrections sentences for the other charges, each suspended for three years, with 157 days of pretrial credit applied. The court recommended drug and alcohol treatment, counseling, and eligibility for work release.

He will be on probation for three years and must comply with substance use evaluations, counseling, and other conditions set by probation officers. Any violation could trigger the imposition of the suspended prison or jail sentences.

The convictions were coupled with findings that Dargan violated probation from an earlier case.

The case dates back to November 2024, when New Hampshire State Police said they attempted to stop a stolen 2023 Kia Forte on Route 10 in Swanzey. When the driver, later identified as Dargan, refused to pull over, a pursuit continued into Winchester. Police deployed tire deflation devices, and the vehicle eventually came to a stop at speeds under 30 mph.

Dargan was taken into custody and initially charged with multiple felonies, including receiving stolen property and operating after being deemed a habitual offender, along with several misdemeanors.