Jordash Tanksley has been under arrest, on probation or in prison for most of his adult life. On Wednesday, he learned he will spend the rest of it behind bars.

Because of his three prior convictions, Mr. Tanksley, 24, will not be eligible for parole on his life sentence.

Judge Duncan D. Wheale opted to immediately sentence Mr. Tanksley after a Richmond County Superior Court jury found him guilty of armed robbery, burglary, aggravated assault and a weapon violation.

Jurors believed that Mr. Tanksley joined his father and 14-year-old cousin Derrell L. McNair in a burglary the night of July 30, 2007.

After two earlier burglaries, the owners of the F.A.M.E. clothing store on Wrightsboro Road had begun guarding the store around the clock. July 30, 2007, was Raheim M. Badger's turn.

Even with a sign warning against break-ins and a blaring alarm, thieves entered the store and fired at Mr. Badger when he stepped out of the enclosed office. He grabbed a gun and returned fire, wounding Mr. McNair, according to trial testimony.

Mr. McNair and a girlfriend of Mr. Tanksley, whose car was reportedly used in the crime, put Mr. Tanksley in the middle of the burglary-turned-shootout.

Defense attorney Pete Theodocion attacked the pair's credibility.

But Assistant District Attorney Mukti Patel urged the jury to focus on what the pair agreed on in their testimony: Mr. Tanksley was in the car, at the scene and armed with a gun that he fired.

Mr. Tanksley was first arrested as an adult in August 2001. He was accused of being in a group of young men robbing people. He was acquitted of those charges in March 2002.

He was also acquitted of aggravated assault and other charges when tried in January 2007.

But Mr. Tanksley has convictions, too: a 2001 theft, a 2005 felony sexual battery and a 2006 theft.

Judge Wheale sentenced Mr. Tanksley to the maximum possible and ran the sentences consecutively for life plus 45 years.

Judge Wheale is scheduled to sentence Mr. McNair on Friday. The teenager was convicted of burglary last month. Clarence Tanksley, 47, has pleaded not guilty. His case is pending.