York County felon facing 23 charges, including multiple robberies, pleads guilty

A York County felon charged with seven robberies among 23 charges was sentenced to 18 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to 11 of the charges, including an attempt to intimidate a witness against him.

Eric Patton, 32, of Rock Hill, had been in jail for six months on a bond that reached almost a half-million dollars. Police and prosecutors brought charges against him from Rock Hill, Fort Mill and York County that included crack coaine possession, armed robberies, weapons, domestic violence and more.

Before a trial on two of the robberies was expected to start Tuesday, Patton agreed to a negotiated plea deal with prosecutors on all the York County charges, said Willy Thompson, 16th Circuit deputy solicitor, and Patton’s defense attorney, Geoff Dunn.

Patton, who pleaded guilty to crimes that included robbing a female pizza delivery driver of $12, was on probation for convictions of other violent crimes when charged by police in the string of crimes.

Patton pleaded guilty to 11 charges that included drugs, robbing the pizza driver and other armed robberies, Thompson said.

This story was originally published September 19, 2017 at 9:05 AM with the headline "York County felon facing 23 charges, including multiple robberies, pleads guilty."