By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

A 30-year-old Harvest man was sentenced to 17 years in prison, and received jail credit for the 1,209 days he has already served, after he pleaded guilty to a 2010 Pelham robbery resulting in serious injuries.

Devares Williamson was arrested by the Pelham Police Department on Aug. 13, 2010, and charged with counts of attempted murder, first-degree robbery, driving while his license was revoked and driving with an expired tag.

Williamson pleaded guilty to robbing a man of a brown leather wallet and Iberia Bank and Wachovia Bank Visa cards in the 1000 block of Morgan Park Road, which is off U.S. 31 in northern Pelham.

During the robbery, Williamson’s victim sustained “serious physical injury,” defense attorney Rick Vickers said while reading what he believed prosecutors would prove if the case went to trial.

During his sentencing hearing before Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Dan Reeves on Dec. 3, Williamson, who has two prior felony convictions, pleaded guilty to the first-degree robbery charge. His other three charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement.

If he was convicted of the crimes by a jury, Williamson could have faced up to life in prison.