He rang the doorbell. Other armed suspects hid nearby. Now, he's going to prison.

He rang the doorbell while others armed with a sawed-off shotgun and a handgun hid beside the Warner Robins home in October 2016.

Tuesday, a Houston County jury found 34-year-old James Owens III guilty of criminal attempt to commit burglary, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to news release from the Houston County District Attorney's Office.

The jury deliberated three hours before returning the verdict in Houston County Superior Court. Judge Katherine K. Lumsden sentenced Owens to 20 years in prison and five years probation upon his release from prison.

On Oct. 12, 2016, Owens conspired with others to attempt to get into a Cornell Drive home with a husband, wife and their children inside, according to the release.

Owens rang the doorbell and knocked on the door in an effort to get someone in the house to open the door, while others with the sawed-off shot gun and a 9 mm handgun hid nearby, the release said.

But the would-be robbers were seen by the family on a home security system, and the police were called.

After the suspects left the residence, they were located within minutes by the Warner Robins police inside a car, where the shotgun, the handgun, a mask and other items connected to the crime were recovered, the release said.

Prosecutors lauded Warner Robins police for quickly catching the suspects.

"We believe this verdict and sentence will send a strong message to the citizens of Houston County and would-be robbers that conspiring or attempting to do a home-invasion robbery will be aggressively prosecuted," Assistant District Attorney Clif Woody also said in the release.

This story was originally published March 14, 2018 at 4:36 PM with the headline "He rang the doorbell. Other armed suspects hid nearby. Now, he's going to prison.."