MOUNT PLEASANT (AP) -- A Mount Pleasant man, who police say drunkenly kicked a puppy to death in northern Lower Michigan, has been sentenced to up to five years in prison.

Maurice Francis was sentenced Monday in Suttons Bay to one-and-a-half to five years in the case.  He plead guilty last month to killing or torturing an animal and felony drunken driving.

The 21-year-old blames his behavior on alcohol abuse.  He apologized to a packed courtroom and asked for forgiveness before being sentenced.

Authorities say Francis smashed out the windows of a woman's vehicle in the Leelanau County community of Northport in March and began kicking Blu, a 12-week-old dog.  Blu later died from the injuries.

(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)