An Anne Arundel County judge sentenced an 18-year-old to a year and a half in jail Friday for stabbing a fellow student at Meade High School in January.

Circuit Judge Mark W. Crooks gave JaQuan Guy of Fort Meade a 20-year sentence but suspended all but 18 months in jail. If Guy violates the terms of his probation whenever he is released, Crooks could punish him with the suspended prison time.

Guy, who had been charged with attempted murder, pleaded guilty in July to one count of first-degree assault, a felony that carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.

People convicted of crimes of violence in Maryland become eligible for parole after serving half of their sentences.

Reached by phone, Guy’s attorney, David Putzi, declined to comment.

The Jan. 23 stabbing of a student from Severn led school officials to lock down the campus at Fort Meade while police investigated and searched for a weapon.

A school resource officer discovered the 17-year-old victim in a hallway and called for help. Responders took the teen to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. Police said at the time he was in serious but stable condition.

Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess addressed the sentence in a statement.

“This case demonstrates the extreme risk to life that occurs when young people choose to bring weapons to resolve conflict,” the Democrat said. “The fact that it took place in one of our county’s high schools and the victim was seriously injured, makes this even more egregious behavior.”

Guy is expected to be sentenced to an additional 18 months in jail Monday for another case in which he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault stemming from an incident that happened the day before the school stabbing.

“The judge’s sentence for the two related cases will result in a total of three years at the local detention center rather than prison for this first-time offender who had just turned 18 years old,” Leitess said.

Guy was arrested along with a 14-year-old for the stabbing at the high school. The status of the younger teen’s case is unclear because juvenile court records are shielded in Maryland.