HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — The sibling of the deceased New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was sentenced on Friday to 18 months of time already served in prison for making threats to execute a shooting at the University of Connecticut and to assassinate three individuals, including a judge, in 2023.

Dennis Hernandez, 38, known as “DJ” during his time as a quarterback and wide receiver for UConn football in the mid-2000s, was experiencing severe mental health issues when the threats were made and has since been undergoing treatment and taking prescribed medication, according to his public defender, Josh Ewing.

U.S. District Judge Sarala Nagala in Hartford also imposed a sentence of three years of supervised release on Hernandez, during which he must continue mental health and substance abuse treatment, permit probation officials to monitor his electronic devices, and avoid UConn and other threatened locations, as per the Connecticut U.S. attorney’s office.

Hernandez, who expressed remorse for his actions during brief court remarks, was anticipated to be released from custody on Friday afternoon, according to The Hartford Courant. Records from the Federal Bureau of Prisons indicated he was no longer in custody by Friday evening.

A message left at a phone number listed for Hernandez was not immediately answered.

State criminal charges in Connecticut and Florida in other incidents — such as allegations he threw a brick with a media-critical note onto the ESPN headquarters property in Bristol, Connecticut — are likely to be dismissed due to the federal case, Ewing stated, mentioning that these events took place during the same mental health crisis.

Ewing did not immediately return phone and email messages post-sentencing. In court documents, he wrote that Hernandez was “horrified” by the fear his actions instilled in others, is regretful, and is determined to maintain his mental health.

Hernandez pleaded guilty to a felony — transmitting interstate communications containing a threat to injure — in December.

Authorities reported he traveled to the UConn campus and Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he previously worked as a quarterbacks coach, to “map out” a shooting in July 2023. Court documents indicated Hernandez was facing financial difficulties, was frustrated by others being hired as football coaches, and felt he was owed by UConn.

In the same month, prosecutors stated Hernandez made multiple Facebook posts threatening harm or death to three people residing in other states, including a state court judge.

His mother, Terri Hernandez, informed police around the time of his 2023 arrest in Bristol that he was suffering from deteriorating mental health conditions, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Dennis Hernandez was subdued with a Taser and taken into custody after exiting his sister’s house with raised arms, shouting “shoot me” and threatening officers, police reported.

Terri Hernandez and several other family members and friends wrote letters to the judge advocating for Dennis Hernandez's release from detention.