Man Sentenced in Spartanburg for Series of Property Crimes
In an unexpected turn of events, 32-year-old Michael Trevor Barton sat before a judge in Spartanburg, South Carolina pleading guilty to a series of property crimes. The date was Wednesday, the mood somber as the ruling was made.
Let’s rewind for a moment to September 16, 2023, a day surely ingrained in the minds of the residents of Oakridge Court in Wellford. A local homeowner made the frightening discovery of Barton in his wife’s BMW. This wasn’t an innocent misunderstanding or a neighbour borrowing a cup of sugar scenario. No, it was far more sinister. Astonishingly, Barton had a dog and an assault rifle with him, displaying an alarming level of audacity. He held the homeowner at gunpoint and made off with the car.
Tracing Down Barton: A Piecing Together of the Crimes
A puzzle was beginning to emerge, revealing a much broader picture of criminal activity. During the investigation, law enforcement officers from the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office determined that Barton had earlier broken into the home on Oakridge Court and had lifted a spare key for the BMW among other items. This wasn’t a random act of criminality, but a calculated move, he planned and executed.
As the authorities dug deeper, more damning evidences resurfaced. Extra investigations launched by the Landrum Police and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office revealed a series of property-related crimes which Barton had committed in and around Wellford, Duncan, Lyman and Landrum.
The Long Arm of the Law Finally Catches Up
A year after the homeowner’s ordeal on September 2024, Barton’s run reached its end. After a pursuit, Spartanburg County deputies managed to apprehend the elusive criminal, bringing much-needed relief to the communities he had been plaguing.
With a hefty rap sheet of shoplifting, petit larceny, assault and battery in the third degree, neglect of a child and second-degree domestic violence already to his name, Barton was no stranger to the wrong side of the law.
A Gavel Lands: The Pronouncement of the Sentence
The plea was heard, and the judge delivered the sentence – 20 years of incarceration for his crimes. Those sleepless nights, the continuous fear and distress the local people had to endure, finally got its due course of justice. On each count of burglary in the first degree and attempted armed robbery, Barton received 20 years. All sentences will be served concurrently, meaning he won’t be seeing the light of day anytime soon.
While the local community starts healing from these traumatic events, this case serves as a stark reminder about the prevalence of property crimes and the importance of vigilance. Stay safe out there, Spartanburg.
