The teenager told the judge he thought the three acquaintances were going to "pull a prank" on his friend.

But the "prank" turned out to be a knifepoint robbery when the intruders entered the house and ordered the two residents — young teenage brothers — to get on the floor of their East King Street home.

No one was injured during the incident in November 2007, and the robbers left the house after stealing $750 worth of items.

"I'm so sorry," Darrin Lamont Hammond Jr., 19, of East End Avenue, told Lancaster County Court Judge Louis J. Farina on Friday.

"A prank, that's what they told me," Hammond said. "I didn't know."

"Whether it was a prank or not … it was a stupid, stupid decision," Farina said.

But Farina said he would take into account Hammond's sincere remorse, his admission of guilt for his part in the crime, his youth and his "positive attitude" toward rehabilitation.

The judge sentenced Hammond to 3 to 9 years in prison for the charges of robbery, burglary and conspiracy.

"He's not a bad kid," defense attorney Cory Miller told the judge. "He did not know about the weapon and did not expect them to do what they did."

Miller said he "has a lot going for him," noting that Hammond "has always been a worker," accepting entry-level jobs to maintain employment.

Now his client "wants to do the right thing," finish his education and obtain vocational training in prison.

Hammond told the judge he was grateful for the opportunity to see the birth of his son four weeks ago.

"I don't want to be a father in and out of jail," Hammond said. "I want to be a positive role model for my son."

Hammond's co-defendant, John D. Lugo II, who carried the knife, was sentenced earlier to 3 1/2 to 10 years in prison, the judge was told.

Both Lugo and Hammond were 17 at the time of the incident. The other two robbers were 14 at the time, and their cases were handled in juvenile court.

According to police accounts, a witness noticed the teenagers acting suspiciously outside the victims' home and called 911.

When the suspects came out carrying bags, the witness followed two of them through Reservoir Park.

Police caught up with the witness, arriving just in time to see the two suspects sorting through bags of stolen electronic items and cash.

The other two suspects were arrested a short time later that day.

jkelley@lnpnews.com