The Jasper County attorney’s office upgraded charges Thursday for a Lynnville man accused of forcibly fondling a 17-year-old girl after breaking into a home in Lynnville.

Court records indicated that 42-year-old Gary L. Eilander now faces first-degree burglary and third-degree sexual abuse charges after he was arrested by Jasper County officials following a 4:30 a.m. break-in June 30, during which he allegedly touched the teen on the back and inside the front of her pants.

The upgrade from Eilander’s original second-degree burglary charge is a class B felony, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 25 years if he is convicted. Court records indicate he had no recorded criminal history prior the June 30 burglary. Eilander still is being held at the Jasper County Jail this morning on a $35,000 bond.