A 41-year-old Dayton man pleaded guilty Friday to 55 felony counts accusing him of being a serial burglar who victimized homes throughout the metro area from Butler Twp. to Miamisburg to Oakwood.

Sean D. Upchurch entered his pleas in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court to 36 counts of burglary, six counts of weapons possession as a felon, four counts of possession of criminal tools, three counts of receiving stolen property, two counts of attempted burglary, and single counts of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, burglary involving a person present, aggravated theft of more than $100,000 and receiving stolen property involving a dangerous drug.

The charges involved a series of break-ins in Butler Twp., Centerville, Clayton, Dayton, Kettering, Miamisburg, Miami Twp. and Oakwood, according to county Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr.’s office.

“A man who has victimized so many of our residents has been held accountable and found guilty for his crimes,” Heck said Friday.

“I want to recognize all of the police agencies from the above communities, and in particular, Captain Alan Jill of the Oakwood Police Department and Detective Vincent Mason of the Kettering Police Department, for their efforts in bringing this defendant to justice,” Heck said.

Oakwood police arrested Upchurch in April 2011 on Irving Avenue near Trinity Street after neighbors told police they saw a man running from the backyard of a house in the 600 block of East Schantz Avenue.

Investigators found that the rear door of the house had been pried open.

The City of Oakwood and a number of southern suburbs had since late 2010 experienced a rash of residential burglaries, many of which fit a similar pattern, police said at the time.

In addition to the burglary cases, Upchurch on Friday also pleaded guilty to an unrelated charge of drug possession involving heroin.

Upchurch is to be sentenced Aug. 30.