A judge Thursday sentenced a 24-year-old Jefferson County man to serve a 31-month prison sentence for shooting his a relative in an argument over dirty dishes, law enforcement officials said.

Bryan E. Poeverlein pleaded guilty in June to reckless aggravated battery and aggravated assault and admitted to shooting his 22-year-old half-brother in February at their home north of Lawrence. Poeverlein was initially charged with attempted second-degree murder in the case. Jefferson County Attorney Robert Fox has said Poeverlein retrieved a pistol and fired two shots after the argument had escalated. One bullet struck the victim, who has been recovering from his injuries, prosecutors have said. The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. Feb. 17 at their residence in the 1700 block of Wellman Road, about 8 miles north of Lawrence. Another witness was also in the home at the time.

Poeverlein has been in the Jefferson County Jail since his arrest shortly after the incident.