An Albert Lea man who participated in the kidnapping and robbery of a man last July in Freeborn County was sentenced to nearly two years in prison Wednesday in Freeborn County District Court.

Cody Lee Hanson, 30, was sentenced after he pleaded guilty to second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in April. Hanson was given credit for 62 days served. He will serve his sentence at Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud.

Prior to sentencing, lawyer Patrick Casey requested Hanson be placed on probation for seven years, which would have been a departure from a presumptive prison sentence, because he underwent treatment, made every court appearance and followed other guidelines.

Assistant Freeborn County Attorney Abigail Lambert said Casey should receive nearly two years in prison because he sold drugs before he started using and made comments to someone during the pre-investigation process that probation would hold him back in his life.

Casey said his client meant probation could hold him back from attending a vocational school outside the state.

Court documents state Hanson was charged after law enforcement investigated a report of an assault on July 17 — the same day the incident took place.

The victim stated he traveled with another person in a vehicle to a residence in the Albert Lea area July 16, falling asleep after he drove the vehicle into a large shed on the property.

He reported he was woken up early in the morning of July 17 by Hanson beating on the dashboard of the vehicle. Hanson struck him in the back of the head with a timing chain and punched him twice in the left eye.

Kenneth Bruce Nelson reportedly punched the victim once on the left side of his face. Hanson reportedly threatened the victim with a pistol.

The assault was reportedly because Hanson and Nelson were looking for drugs.

The men reportedly stole a CD player and front passenger and driver’s side speakers from the doors, along with Hanson finding $2,250 in cash and one-fourth to one-half of a gram of methamphetamine.

The victim was later able to exit a vehicle they were in, and the two men left after the victim called for help.

In issuing the sentence, Judge Ross Leuning said the conditions needed for a departure from the presumptive sentence were not met and cited the premeditation and violence of the incident.

Nelson, 40, is charged with felony kidnapping, first-degree aggravated robbery and false imprisonment. A jury trial is scheduled to start Aug. 14.