photo by: Douglas County Sheriff's Office

Tavaras L. Hunter

After his brother was convicted at trial for an armed robbery the two committed together, Tavaras L. Hunter went a different route and took a plea deal on Friday.

Hunter, 38, of Lawrence, pleaded guilty and was convicted of two felonies: aggravated robbery and aggravated battery.

His appointed attorney, Hatem Chahine, and the state agreed to recommend a sentence of 10 years in prison, followed by three years of postrelease supervision and 15 years on the Kansas violent offender registry.

Douglas County District Court Judge James McCabria set Hunter’s sentencing for March 5.

In exchange for Hunter’s plea, prosecutors dismissed four additional charges: aggravated robbery, theft and two counts of aggravated battery.

On March 6, 2017, Hunter and his brother entered an apartment at 2001 W. Sixth St. without permission and robbed two people inside at gunpoint, prosecutor C.J. Rieg said. The brothers took wallets, keys, money and marijuana from the victims.

Hunter confessed to police, including admitting that he’d already spent half the cash he and his brother had taken, Rieg said.

Since his arrest about two weeks after the crime, Hunter has been jailed on $75,000 bond. His younger brother Norris M. Hunter was arrested earlier, on the day of the robbery.

In December, a jury convicted Norris Hunter, 37, of three felonies — two counts of aggravated robbery and one count of aggravated burglary — and three misdemeanors — two counts of battery and one count of theft. His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 1.