(AP) -- A man who escaped from the Berkeley County jail last year and hid in a Myrtle Beach hospital will have to serve three-and-a-half years in prison.

Forty-year-old James Sanders of Ridgeville was sentenced after pleading guilty in Berkeley County Court on Monday to criminal domestic violence, failure to stop for police and escape.

Prosecutors say Sanders escaped Jan. 26, 2012, and went to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center where he posed as the brother of a comatose patient for about two weeks. Sanders got free meals and laundry service during his stay.

The patient woke up and a relative notified authorities about Sanders.

One jail employee was fired and several others were disciplined after the escape.

(Copyright ©2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)