One of two men charged with a serious 2006 stabbing pleaded guilty yesterday rather than face trial for the incident that nearly killed a 25-year-old South Boston man, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

ROBERT GLAVIN (D.O.B. 7/16/82) of Boston admitted to aggravated assault and battery for his role in the Sept. 11, 2006, incident near the corner of I Street and East 7th Street. Assistant District Attorney Philip O’Brien recommended that he serve four to five years in state prison; Suffolk Superior Court Judge Carol Ball sentenced him to a term of two to three and a half years.

Glavin was charged as a joint venturer in the attack. His co-defendant, TIMOTHY SHRUHAN (D.O.B. 8/26/72), is expected to face trial as the principal on Feb. 22, 2012.

Had Glavin’s case proceeded to trial, O’Brien would have introduced evidence and testimony to prove that the two defendants were looking for a person they knew as “Joey” to confront him about a stolen Xbox. When Glavin saw the victim on I Street that afternoon, the evidence would have shown, he pointed the man out to Shruhan, who was driving. Shruhan allegedly stopped the car short, jumped out, pulled a knife, and stabbed the victim in the chest.

Glavin admitted that he misidentified the victim when he pointed the man out to his co-defendant, that he was present at the scene for the stabbing, and that he was ready to assist in the stabbing if necessary.

The victim, whose injuries required multiple surgeries and left him with extensive scarring, had no relationship with his assailants and could not identify them. Boston Police and Suffolk prosecutors spent five years investigating the incident, eventually identifying witnesses and compelling them to testify before the Suffolk County Grand Jury. The men were indicted in April of this year.

Michael Schultz was the DA’s victim-witness advocate on the case. Glavin was represented by attorney Joseph Perulo.