Several defendants pled guilty and were sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Paul Burch in Dillon on Thursday, April 21 in a single-day term of General Sessions Court.
Kyle McRae, who had burglarized several places and broken into several vehicles stealing items, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Jamie Hulon was sentenced to five years in prison for assault and battery, burglary and weapons possession.
Adam Harley was sentenced to five years in prison on multiple drug charges.
The following people were among others pleading guilty: Shanita Green (breach of peace), Donnie Roberts (assault and battery), Reginald Page (weapons), Charlie Blackmon (weapons), Bysure Grice (weapons), Jerris Davis (financial card fraud), Larry Swinney (breach of peace), Kimberly Kinny (breach of peace), Dennis Caulder (drugs), Rachel Campbell (aggravated breach of peace), Jaroid Brady (drugs), Bobby Westberry (hit and run), Mathis McLaughlin (drugs), James Wade Dixon (breach of peace), Teo Falaniko (drugs), Juan Cooper (domestic violence), Willie Jones (shoplifting), Julius Rogers (domestic violence).
According to Assistant Solicitor Shipp Daniel, the criminal docket in Dillon County has more than doubled in size due to the shutdowns caused by the pandemic. “We are slowly working our way back down to where we were before we had to shut everything down for a year and a half,” said Daniel, “but it will take a long time. We aren’t alone in that, though, as every county across the country is dealing with similar backlogs. We are trying to balance our limited number of court terms between pleas and trials. We understand that everybody deserves their day in court, and we’re doing the best we can with the court terms we are given.”
Dillon has had two jury terms so far in 2022. Dillon’s next jury term of General Sessions Court is scheduled for June 13.
