AUBURN — The second of three defendants charged with robbery and aggravated assault in a home invasion in Lewiston in March 2014 was sentenced Thursday to 18 months in prison.

Zachariah Hardwick, 25, of Lewiston had earlier pleaded guilty to felony robbery and burglary in exchange for dismissing charges of aggravated assault and obstructing the report of a crime. He asked that sentencing be delayed so he could remain at Androscoggin County Jail to finish studying for his GED test, which he took this week.

“How did you do on your GED?” Active-Retired Justice Joyce Wheeler asked Hardwick in Androscoggin County Superior Court.

“I passed,” Hardwick answered.

“Good,” she said. “Believe it or not, that will help you in the future.”

She sentenced him to seven years on the two felonies, with all but 18 months suspended. When released, he will serve two years probation.

If convicted at trial, he faced more than 30 years in prison.

According to court records, on March 22, 2014, Hardwick, Michael Hodgkins, 26, a transient in Lewiston, and Benjamin Parker, 22, of Lewiston forced their way into Jaime Chapman’s apartment on Pierce Street. They were wearing dark clothes, bandanas across their faces and latex gloves. Chapman told police they were armed with knives and guns.

Immediately after entering the apartment, Hodgkins struck John Lombard, Chapman’s boyfriend, in the head with a wrench he had brought to the apartment. Hodgkins also attacked Chapman’s brother.

Several days before the attack, Chapman had invited Hodgkins to stay in her apartment overnight because he was homeless, according to police. She had received her income tax refund check while he was there, and he saw her place the cash in her safe.

Chapman told police she believed Hodgkins intended to steal her safe.

On the night of the attack, as soon as Hardwick, Hodgkins and Parker arrived at the apartment, Chapman tried calling 911 but one of the men ripped the phone from her hand and broke it in two.

As Hodgkins was hitting Lombard, Hardwick and Parker were looking in the apartment for valuables, according to court records.

During the attack, two other men in the apartment — Joshua Burnham and Michael Leeman — were able to restrain Hodgkins until police arrived.

Parker and Hardwick fled, and were later identified by Hodgkins as his accomplices.

Lombard was treated at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston for cuts to his arm and injuries to his head.

Hardwick is to have no contact with the victims, Hodgkins and Parker.

Hodgkins pleaded guilty to robbery and aggravated assault in November, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison with all but 3½ years suspended. He will serve three years probation. Charges of burglary and obstructing the report of a crime were dismissed.

Parker pleaded not guilty to robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and obstructing the report of a crime.

Last September, Parker’s attorney, Lorne Fairbanks, asked the court to order a competency hearing to review Parker’s mental ability to proceed to trial. As part of his request, Fairbanks told the court that Parker “exhibits delusional and unclear thinking” and “has been a harm to himself in the past.”

That order was granted, and Parker was committed for observation. On May 11, when the court heard from Fairbanks that Parker had stopped taking his medications and that Fairbanks believed Parker was no longer competent for trial, Justice MaryGay Kennedy issued an order forcing Parker to take his medication.

Fairbanks has also filed a motion to suppress Parker’s confession to Lewiston police, which has not been heard.

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