One of about a dozen thugs involved in the robbery and near-death beating of a man at a Caltrain station earlier this year will taste freedom after being sentenced Monday to 260 days in county jail, time he has already served.

Prosecutors believe Thomas Nicholas Furman, 28, of Redwood City, robbed and pushed the 47-year-old victim at the Redwood City train station, but did not deliver the severe beating that nearly killed him.

Furman and a second suspect, 18-year-old Damar Desean Walker, were arrested in connection with the March 4 robbery after they were caught on video buying pizza with the victim’s credit card, authorities said.

According to District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe, Furman and Walker were among the “group of punks” who surrounded the victim. Furman demanded the man’s jewelry, and helped trap the victim when he tried to walk away.

Furman started pushing the victim. Then another thug in the group punched the man in the back of the head, sending him face first to the ground, Wagstaffe said.

After rifling through the victim’s pockets, Furman and Walker fled the area with the man’s credit card. After they left, another suspect who has yet to be identified beat the victim even more severely, police said.

For his part in the crime, Furman was placed on three years probation Monday after pleading no contest to one count of grand theft and another for burglary.

Walker is slated for a jury trial on Jan. 30 in relation to the case. He remains in custody on $250,000 bail.

maldax@sfexaminer.com