A 55-year-old South Kingstown woman has received one year’s probation after pleading no contest to breaking into a University of Rhode Island sorority house in Kingston last year, and has been barred from the university through a no-contact order. She must also undergo mental-health counseling.

Margo A. Caddick entered the plea Thursday in Washington County Superior Court to one felony count of breaking and entering a dwelling and one misdemeanor count of receiving stolen goods worth less than $500, according to Michael J. Healey, spokesman for the attorney general’s office. Last March, the police said, Sigma Delta Tau sorority sisters found Caddick looking into the sorority house refrigerator.

Prosecutors dismissed a related multiple-felony/misdemeanor case brought last year that covered the alleged theft of Tiffany lamps, computers, televisions and jewelry from area homes and the university over several years.

According to Healey, the state dismissed the case “because it had a legal issue that arguably we may not have been able to overcome” –– namely, the defense lawyer’s argument of an improper process that led to the police obtaining search warrants.

Caddick, after opting not to cooperate during an initial police interview and invoking her right to remain silent, was interviewed by the police a second time and gave information that authorities used to secure search warrants.

However, according to Healey, there is case law to suggest that the police can only go back to interview a suspect if the person initiates it and if the suspect is provided a lawyer.

mmckinne@projo.com