Rock Hill man sentenced to 3 years for stealing beer from Tega Cay Walmart

An ex-con from Rock Hill with previous convictions for property crimes was sentenced to three years in prison late Tuesday after a jury found him guilty of shoplifting five cases of Bud Light beer from the Tega Cay Walmart a week before Christmas in 2013.

John Kenneth Massey Jr., 39, faced felony enhanced shoplifting charges because of previous convictions, said Matthew Hogge, the 16th Circuit assistant solicitor who prosecuted Massey.

Hogge asked for a 10-year sentence because of Massey’s extensive record. Judge John C. Hayes III sentenced Massey to three years after Massey pleaded for mercy.

Massey was arrested in 2013 on a property crime, but was released on bond. He then stole the 120 cans of beer in December 2013 but was not arrested until January 2014 on another felony property crime involving the alleged theft of a four-wheel vehicle. He had been in jail ever since.

Massey remains in the York County jail because he still faces pending burglary, grand larceny and other charges.

This story was originally published April 2, 2015 at 2:11 PM with the headline "Rock Hill man sentenced to 3 years for stealing beer from Tega Cay Walmart."