A man who was among those charged with setting off firecrackers inside Hamilton Place Mall to cover up a robbery has been sentenced to serve three years in federal prison.
Garrian King, 23, appeared before Federal Judge Curtis Collier.
The sentence will be consecutive to any time King receives on charges he still faces in state court.
He is charged with three counts of possession of marijuana for resale, reckless endangerment, domestic assault, possession of a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, possession of a firearm with a felony drug conviction and disorderly conduct.
Several people were injured in the ensuing panic at the mall last Dec. 26.
Police said those involved in the plot carried off about $1,000 in merchandise from The Pink Store. The firecrackers caused some $2,000 in damage to the floor of the store.
The arrest report notes that police and security as well as patrons and employees at the mall initially thought a shooting was taking place and there was an "active shooter" on the loose.
The arrests were made after police studied numerous videos of the frightening incident.
Judge Collier said King had graduated from Baylor School, which he called one of the top schools in the state, then had some college. But he said he then gravitated to the streets.
He recommended that King study the book Down These Mean Streets during his time in prison.
Prosecutor Chris Poole said King had been involved in three different violent episodes. He said King discharged a gun in the last incident.
He said King is addicted to marijuana and uses it daily.
His federal sentence relates to an Oct. 28, 2016, traffic stop in which ammunition was found in his vehicle.