SPARTANBURG COUNTY MAN RECEIVES 36-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES

A Spartanburg County man received a 36-year prison sentence today for a six-day crime spree where he stole valuables from three local homes to support his crack cocaine drug addiction.

Timothy Scott Terry, 36, of 100 Tommy Stocks Road, pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree burglary, three counts of grand larceny, second-degree arson, safecracking and obtaining property by false pretenses before Circuit Judge Alexander McCauley.

Terry broke into the Steven Brown at 114 Scenic Drive, Boiling Springs on Feb. 8 2005 and stole jewelry, men’s & women’s clothes, a coin collection, tools, electronics, handgun and other valuables. While he was inside the house, Terry took the ashes of Brown’s deceased daughter and dumped them on the floor of the dwelling.

Four days later, Terry broke into the house of Leo Register at 234 Blalock Road and stole a hearing aid, electronics and assorted valuables valued at more than $1,000. He set the home on fire to cover his tracks. Damage to the dwelling was estimated at more than $110,000.

The third burglary occurred Feb. 14, 2005 at the home of Kelly Taylor, 423 Jordan Creek Road. Taylor came home from work about 4:45 p.m. and discovered that someone forced open the back door of her home and took a rifle, jewelry and electronics valued at more than $2,000. Sheriff’s deputies connected Terry to the crime days later when he sold the property to a local pawn shop.

“I’m tired of people using drugs an excuse for committing crime,” Principal Deputy Solicitor Barry Barnette said. “Mr. Terry’s actions caused great hardship for three innocent families.”

A co-defendant, Gary David Lee, 24, of 2 Redwood St, Startex, is awaiting trial on six charges related to two of the burglaries.