Mauldin Man To Spend Decades In Prison For 11 SC County Burglaries
A lifelong lawbreaker will spend the next three decades in prison after pleading guilty Thursday morning in Greenville County to charges stemming from a yearlong statewide crime spree, 8th Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo announced Friday.
Christopher Taylor, 38, of Mauldin, pleaded guilty Thursday to charges stemming from nearly 40 burglaries spanning 11 counties and six South Carolina judicial circuits. Circuit Judge William McMaster then sentenced Taylor to 30 years in prison. Taylor was represented by Fletcher Smith of the Greenville County Bar.
Taylor’s crime spree began in July 2021 and continued until his arrest in June 2022. Taylor committed burglaries in South Carolina’s 1st Judicial Circuit (Calhoun County), 7th Judicial Circuit (Spartanburg County), 8th Judicial Circuit (Greenwood, Laurens and Newberry counties), 10th Judicial Circuit (Anderson and Oconee counties), 11th Judicial Circuit (Edgefield and McCormick counties), and 13th Judicial Circuit (Greenville and Pickens counties).
Taylor’s arrest highlights extensive cooperation among South Carolina’s law enforcement agencies in connecting Taylor’s crimes across multiple counties. After stumping investigators for nearly a year, the case broke when Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office detectives were able to use FLOCK cameras to track Taylor down following a break-in at the Pavan Food Store along Bypass 72 in Greenwood County. When investigators questioned Taylor about the break-in, he confessed. After further questioning regarding a large number of burglaries with a similar modus operandi, Taylor confessed to nearly 40 break-ins across the 11 counties.
Solicitor Stumbo praised the work of the many agencies involved in breaking the case and securing the lengthy prison sentence, particularly 13th Circuit Deputy Solicitor Brian Moroney for his work in coordinating the resolution of the case and court scheduling. Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office investigators, in particular Lt. Matthew Womack and Detective Michael Belcher, were instrumental in identifying Taylor as the perpetrator and tying together the multiple incidents across the state.
“This conviction not only speaks to the high level of dedication and professionalism of our law enforcement officers across the state of South of Carolina, but their ability to work as a team across jurisdictional lines to solve crimes and get justice for crime victims,” Solicitor Stumbo said. “I could not be more proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with these brave men and women as we work arm-in-arm to keep our communities and families safe.”
A lifelong lawbreaker will spend the next three decades in prison after pleading guilty Thursday morning in Greenville County to charges stemming from a yearlong statewide crime spree, 8th Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo announced Friday.
Christopher Taylor, 38, of Mauldin, pleaded guilty Thursday to charges stemming from nearly 40 burglaries spanning 11 counties and six South Carolina judicial circuits. Circuit Judge William McMaster then sentenced Taylor to 30 years in prison. Taylor was represented by Fletcher Smith of the Greenville County Bar.
Taylor’s crime spree began in July 2021 and continued until his arrest in June 2022. Taylor committed burglaries in South Carolina’s 1st Judicial Circuit (Calhoun County), 7th Judicial Circuit (Spartanburg County), 8th Judicial Circuit (Greenwood, Laurens and Newberry counties), 10th Judicial Circuit (Anderson and Oconee counties), 11th Judicial Circuit (Edgefield and McCormick counties), and 13th Judicial Circuit (Greenville and Pickens counties).
Taylor’s arrest highlights extensive cooperation among South Carolina’s law enforcement agencies in connecting Taylor’s crimes across multiple counties. After stumping investigators for nearly a year, the case broke when Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office detectives were able to use FLOCK cameras to track Taylor down following a break-in at the Pavan Food Store along Bypass 72 in Greenwood County. When investigators questioned Taylor about the break-in, he confessed. After further questioning regarding a large number of burglaries with a similar modus operandi, Taylor confessed to nearly 40 break-ins across the 11 counties.
Solicitor Stumbo praised the work of the many agencies involved in breaking the case and securing the lengthy prison sentence, particularly 13th Circuit Deputy Solicitor Brian Moroney for his work in coordinating the resolution of the case and court scheduling. Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office investigators, in particular Lt. Matthew Womack and Detective Michael Belcher, were instrumental in identifying Taylor as the perpetrator and tying together the multiple incidents across the state.
“This conviction not only speaks to the high level of dedication and professionalism of our law enforcement officers across the state of South of Carolina, but their ability to work as a team across jurisdictional lines to solve crimes and get justice for crime victims,” Solicitor Stumbo said. “I could not be more proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with these brave men and women as we work arm-in-arm to keep our communities and families safe.”
