By Martha Rose Brown
The Times and Democrat
ORANGEBURG, SC — An inmate who tried to escape from the Orangeburg County Detention Center has pleaded guilty to several charges.
Tykeil Daeqwan Huggins, 21, of 4319 Dale Drive, Orangeburg, was one of seven inmates charged in the May 18 jail incident. Three escaped, leading to a nationwide manhunt.
Huggins also attempted to escape from the detention center, but didn’t make it over a fence.
At the time of Huggins’ attempted escape, he was being held on the charges of grand larceny, first-degree burglary, criminal conspiracy and malicious injury to personal property. He also faced misdemeanors including resisting arrest, giving false information to law enforcement and disturbing schools.
Huggins pleaded guilty last week to grand larceny, a reduced charge of violent second-degree burglary and giving false information to law enforcement.
As part of his plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed the charges of criminal conspiracy, malicious injury to personal property, resisting arrest and disturbing schools.
Circuit Judge Ed Dickson sentenced Huggins to 15 years in prison. Upon the service of 51 months, the balance of his sentence will be suspended to five years of probation.
Dickson also sentenced him to one year in prison for his attempted escape. That sentence is to start after he completes his prison time for the other crimes.
The judge gave Huggins credit for having already served 359 days at the Orangeburg County Detention Center.
Dickson also ordered Huggins to obtain his GED.
Huggins’ charges stem from a string of burglaries in January 2017 and an incident on the campus of S.C. State University.
Christopher Shannon Boltin, 28, of 829 Edisto Avenue, Orangeburg was also charged in the jail escape. He pleaded guilty to two other charges.
Others charged in the jail escape are awaiting trial.