SPARTANBURG, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – A man pleaded guilty to a string of property crimes and was sentenced Wednesday to prison, the Spartanburg County Seventh Circuit Solicitor said.

On Sept. 16, 2023, a homeowner on Oakridge Court in Wellford heard Michael Trevor Barton, 32, in his wife’s BMW with the dog and an assault rifle, authorities said.

Barton held the homeowner at gunpoint and stole the vehicle. Barton was later identified by the homeowner.

During the investigation, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office determined that Barton had broken into the home on Oakridge Court the day before and stolen items, including a spare key to his BMW. Through additional investigation by Landrum Police and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, law enforcement determined that Barton had committed a number of property-related crimes in and around Wellford, Duncan, Lyman and Landrum.

Barton was later arrested in September 2024 following a pursuit by Spartanburg County deputies.

Barton was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the following charges:

• Four first-degree thefts,
• Attempted armed robbery
• Possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime
• Four grand thefts
• Two petty thefts
• Receiving stolen property twice
• Malicious destruction of personal property
• Breaking into a motor vehicle
• Failure to stop the motor vehicle when signaled by the police vehicle
• Using the vehicle without the owner’s permission
• possession of a stolen gun

Barton was sentenced to 20 years in prison for each count of first-degree burglary, authorities said. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempted armed robbery. All sentences will be served concurrently, officials said.

His prior criminal history includes: third-degree burglary, petit larceny, assault and battery, second-degree unlawful neglect of a child, and domestic violence.

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