Joshua Edmoundson told a York County judge Friday morning he can't begin to explain what he was thinking when he committed a crime spree that culminated in the murder of aspiring attorney James Wallmuth III during a botched robbery two years ago.

Edmoundson, 20, of Waldorf Drive in Conewago Township, became choked up after listening to Jim Wallmuth Jr. describe the pain he and his family continue to bear.

"I'm very ashamed of myself for doing those things," Edmoundson said, adding he doesn't know how he'd feel if one of his own loved ones was murdered.

"It's a terrible thing," he said.

Edmoundson pleaded guilty Friday morning to conspiracy to commit robbery and, as part of a negotiated plea agreement, homicide and related

charges were dismissed.

He also pleaded guilty in 13 unrelated cases, including aggravated assault, three burglaries, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and eight counts of receiving stolen property.

Five to 10 years: As part of a negotiated plea agreement, Edmoundson was sentenced to a total of five to 10 years in state prison and ordered to pay about $20,000 in restitution to his victims.

Deputy prosecutor Jonathan Blake said the prison sentence is fair because Edmoundson went to police after Wallmuth was murdered.

"When the homicide happened, he came forward and told police the truth, even though it implicated him," Blake said.

Defense attorney Rick Robinson declined comment.

The aggravated assault victim was Mark Poet of Conewago Township, according to Blake. Edmoundson shot Poet in the face with a BB gun and assaulted him with a ceramic flowerpot, Blake said.

The victims in one of the burglaries were York Dispatch employees -- columnist Larry Hicks and receptionist/news clerk Rita P. Plath.

About Jimmy: "Jimmy" Wallmuth, 28, of West Manchester Township, worked in the York County District Attorney's Office for about four years as a case manager, but left his job to attend law school at

the University of Pittsburgh. He was back in York to do an internship at a local law firm, his father said.

"What we've lost can't be made up for. We can't get it back," Wallmuth Jr. told the judge. "And it's something we live with every day."

He described his son as a vibrant man in both his family and the community.

"As time goes by I just think we miss (him) more," the grieving father said. "There will always be an empty spot at the table, always be an empty spot in our hearts."

The murder: Wallmuth was sitting on a bench in Foundry Park, near the corner of Grant Street and West Clarke Avenue, on July 28, 2010. He was talking on his cellphone to his girlfriend, York City Police said.

Jordan Wallick of York City, who

was 15 at the time, approached Wallmuth and tried to rob him, but instead fatally shot Wallmuth in the back when the victim resisted, police said.

Wallick, now 17, was convicted in April of second-degree murder, robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. On May 21, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Edmoundson, along with co-defendants Victor Virola and Kenneth Santiago-Curet, testified against Wallick at trial in exchange for consideration on their own criminal cases.

One case left: Virola, 19, of South Duke Street in York City, pleaded no contest April 19 to robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. He was sentenced to 11-1/2 to 23 months in county prison, which amounted to a time-served

sentence.

On the same day, a plea agreement for Santiago-Curet fell apart when defense attorney Sandra Thompson learned prosecutors were requiring he plead guilty to third-degree murder and spend 15 to 30 years in prison. He has a pretrial conference scheduled for June 21.

Santiago-Curet, 20, of West Princess Street in York City, gave Wallick the gun used to kill Wallmuth.

-- Reach Liz Evans Scolforo at levans@yorkdispatch.com, 505-5429 or twitter.com/ydcrimetime.