A Lawrence teenager received 36 months of probation Friday for aggravated burglary, theft, and auto burglary in a case that sent two other Lawrence teenagers to prison.

Cody A. Barnes, 18, was one of three teenagers convicted in connection with a string of burglaries over the summer. Judge Peggy Kittel pointed to his cooperation with police and lack of a criminal history in sentencing him to probation rather than prison.

The high school dropout with no stable home could have faced almost three years in prison for aggravated burglary.

In Barnes’ sentencing Friday, Kittel told him a prison sentence “would make matters worse for you, and the community.”

The other two teenagers convicted in the case were sentenced to multiple years in prison.

Ronnie E. Taylor, 18, was sentenced in December to 52 months for aggravated burglary, and Marckus T. Sanders was sentenced to five years for aggravated burglary and aggravated intimidation of a witness.

The differences in sentencing were partly due to criminal history and the defendants’ level of cooperation, Kittel said. Taylor received the standard sentence for his crime, while Sanders received the maximum allowable under state sentencing guidelines.

The convictions were related to a July 12 home invasion in the 1000 block of East 24th Street and the July 15 burglary of a home in the 3900 block of West 10th Place. Several other charges against the defendants were dropped.

The three defendants are together responsible for $4,007 in restitution to the victims.