An Idaho Falls man who robbed two men at gunpoint will serve up to 10 years in prison.

Christian Sanchez, 19, was sentenced for a robbery Monday for his involvement in an August incident where he and two others attacked two men and stole items from one of the victims’ apartments.

Two other charges, aggravated assault and burglary, were dropped as part of the plea deal. The prosecutor also agreed to limit his recommendation to a three-year fixed sentence, with no limit on the recommended indeterminate sentence.

“If this wasn’t his first felony, this would not have been the plea agreement,” Deputy Prosecutor Tanner Crowther said during Sanchez’s sentencing.

According to court documents Sanchez approached the victims Aug. 12 with Taylor McConeghy and Zachary Hilde and beat the victims when they refused to pay him. Sanchez then threatened one of the victims with a loaded AR-15 rifle before breaking into the apartment and stealing several items.

Defense Attorney Kelly Mallard said his client was using drugs before the incident, and did not recognize himself as the man who threatened to kill the victims, who according to Mallard had been Sanchez’s friends.

“He realizes this is a pretty serious crossroad he’s at,” Mallard said.

Crowther argued the drugs found in McConeghy’s car were meant for sale. Crowther said none of the three defendants had a job at the time of the robbery, and that McConeghy and Hilde had admitted to making money off of drug sales.

While Mallard asked for retained jurisdiction, Crowther said prison was the appropriate sentence. Crowther compared Sanchez to Hilde, who was also sentenced to retained jurisdiction with no criminal record. Crowther said Hilde also did not bring Sanchez the gun when instructed, and that their different levels of involvement in the sentence should not be given the same sentence.

Sanchez gave a brief statement saying he wanted to take responsibility for his actions and that he was ready for a second chance.

District Judge Joel Tingey, described the reports of Sanchez’s actions as “scary,” and said Sanchez could easily have been in court for a murder charge. He sentenced Sanchez to three years fixed and seven indeterminate.

“I guess in my mind you just don’t commit a robbery like this and do anything less than time,” Tingey said.