Orangeburg man guilty of burglary, assault, grand larceny

A 22-year-old Orangeburg man is in prison after pleading guilty to burglary, assault and grand larceny.

Jesse James Nivens, of 194 Redd Road, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree burglary, two counts of first-degree assault and battery and three counts of grand larceny valued more than $2,000 but less than $10,000 during a recent term of court at the Orangeburg County Courthouse.

Circuit Judge Heath P. Taylor sentenced Nivens to prison for nine years. The judge gave Nivens credit serving 379 days at the Orangeburg County Detention Center.

He also ordered Nivens to be placed in the addiction treatment unit in prison.

Nivens was originally charged with two counts of attempted murder, but he pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree assault and battery instead.

Prosecutors dismissed two counts each of attempted murder and malicious injury to personal property valued less than $2,000. They also dismissed one count each of second or subsequent offense failure to stop for blue light, first-offense driving under suspension license not suspended for DUI and second-degree assault and battery by mob.

Most of Nivens’ charges stem from multiple incidents in the fall of 2021.

In one of the incidents, occupants of a truck accused Nivens of firing a gun at them while he drove a car.

In other recent guilty pleas:

• Kauata Nicole Albrittain, 35, of 1901 Brentwood Drive, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to obtaining goods under false pretenses valued at $10,000 or more.

Taylor sentenced her to five years in prison, provided that after she served one day, the remainder of her term would be suspended to five years of probation. Taylor gave her credit for having already served one day in jail.

He also ordered Albrittain to pay restitution.

• Audrey Baughman, 51, of 112 Dawsey Street, Cordova, pleaded guilty to first-offense distribution of methamphetamine, first-offense trafficking more than 10 grams but less than 28 grams of methamphetamine and first-offense possession of less than one gram of cocaine base.

She was originally charged with an additional count of first-offense trafficking more than 10 grams but less than 28 grams of methamphetamine, but pleaded guilty to first-offense distribution of methamphetamine instead.

Taylor sentenced her to two years in prison and gave her credit for having already served 140 days in jail.

He also ordered her to be housed in the addiction treatment unit in prison.

Prosecutors dismissed Baughman’s following charges: two counts of first-offense driving under suspension license not suspended for DUI and one count each of first-offense possession of one ounce or less of marijuana, first-offense uninsured motor vehicle fee violation, defacing a vehicle license plate with intent to defraud and second or subsequent offense possession of one ounce or less of marijuana.

• Charles Leroy Cleckley, 35, of 118 Tall Pines Drive, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to first-offense third-degree burglary.

Taylor sentenced him to five years in prison, provided after he served 34 days, the balance of his term would be suspended to two years of probation. He gave Cleckley credit for having already served 34 days in jail.

Taylor also ordered him to pay restitution.

Prosecutors dismissed his charge of possession of a firearm or ammunition by a person convicted of a violent felony.

• Steven Aiken, 26, of 614 Crawford Street, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to breach of trust with fraudulent intent valued more than $10,000.

Circuit Judge Diane Goodstein sentenced him to seven years in prison, suspended to three years of probation.

She also ordered Aiken to complete 50 hours of public service employment and enroll with the S.C. Vocational Rehabilitation Department or Job Corps. He’s also prohibited from renting vehicles.

• Kenosha Denise Alston, 26, of 918 Presidential Drive, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to resisting arrest.

Goodstein sentenced her to one year in prison, suspended to 18 months of probation.

Prosecutors dismissed Alston’s charge of second-degree domestic violence.

• Willie James Alston III, 33, of 823 Horger Street, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to third-degree domestic violence.

He was originally charged with second-degree domestic violence, but pleaded guilty to third-degree domestic violence instead.

Goodstein sentenced him to 74 days in jail and gave him credit for having already served that time there.

• Erick Lamont Bradley, 30, of 477 Coleman Boulevard, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to first-offense possession of narcotics.

He was originally charged with first-offense possession with intent to distribute a scheduled drug, but pleaded guilty to first-offense possession of narcotics instead.

Goodstein sentenced him to five years in prison, suspend to two years of probation.

She also ordered Bradley to work 40 hours of public service employment, undergo random drug/alcohol testing, attend either Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous three times weekly and enroll with the S.C. Vocational Rehabilitation Department or Job Corps.

• Robert Cook, 30, of 115 Southwest Circle, Cordova, pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and battery.

Goodstein sentenced him to seven years in prison, suspended to five years of probation.

She gave Cook credit for having already served 144 days in jail and ordered him to enroll with the S.C. Vocational Rehabilitation Department or Job Corps.

• Milton Stacy Cummings Jr., 22, of 125 Cyclone Drive, Santee, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen pistol and first-offense possession of one ounce or less of marijuana.

Goodstein sentenced him to three years in prison, suspended to one year of probation.

She gave Cummings credit for having served 25 days in jail.