DEVILS LAKE, N.D. - One of the suspects in the February beating death of a man here has been sentenced to serve two years in prison after changing his plea to guilty.
Arlin Hapa, 24, of Fort Totten, entered the new plea on Wednesday to a charge of felony aggravated assault in the death of Pat Stein, 34.
Northeast District Judge Donovan Foughty sentenced Hapa to five years in prison with three years suspended. Hapa will be on supervised probation for five years after his release.
Ramsey County State's Attorney Lonnie Olson said he was satisfied with the sentence.
Hapa started the assault on Stein by punching him once, then stood by while others attacked the man, Olson said. Stein was found beaten in a downtown Devils Lake apartment on Feb. 13, and died the next day.
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Olson said Hapa will be called on to testify against other defendants in the case. Nine people were charged with various crimes, ranging from resisting arrest to murder. Charges were dropped against one of the suspects in June.
