VISTA, Calif. - A man who tried to steal two goats from Fallbrook High School's agricultural department -- resulting in the death of one of the animals -- was sentenced Wednesday to a suspended six-month jail term and placed on three years probation.

Bryce Zubicki, 23, pleaded guilty last month to felony grand theft of an animal.

He must stay away from Fallbrook High School and cannot own or possess any animals while he's on probation, according to Deputy District Attorney Elisabeth Silva.

The defendant was arrested in July and linked to the June 15, 2011, crime by DNA evidence found at the scene.

According to authorities, Zubicki duct-taped the muzzles and legs of two goats at the school on the morning of June 15 -- the last day of school.

At the time, authorities speculated it may have been a senior prank gone wrong, but investigators later said Zubicki may have planned to add the goats to his collection of farm animals.

About 5 that morning, a security guard saw a hooded figure in a livestock pen with the two Tennessee fainting goats inside and scared off the would-be thief by shining a flashlight on him.

The guard then removed the tape from the goats' muzzles but it was too late for one of the animals. A necropsy -- the equivalent of an autopsy -- revealed that the goal died from suffocation, authorities said.