Lexington, SC 05/09/2023 (Paul Kirby) – Eleventh Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard’s office announced Tuesday that Jonathan Obrian West, 38, of Batesburg, pled guilty this week to Financial Identity Fraud, multiple counts of Forgery, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Ecstasy, and Unlawful Carrying of a Pistol. According to Hubbard, Chief Administrative Judge Walton J. McLeod, IV, presided over the plea. He then sentenced West to eight years in the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
This case was investigated by the Batesburg-Leesville Police Department and the Lexington County Sheriff's Department, the Irmo Police Department, and the City of Aiken Department of Public Safety.
According to a statement released by Hubbard’s office, between June 24, 2022, and October 21, 2022, West illegally intercepted checks that had been sent through the US mail. He then altered the checks so he could utilize them for his own benefit. West passed these stolen checks at businesses in the Batesburg-Leesville area of Lexington County and deposited others into personal bank accounts. During this process, West was captured on surveillance cameras doing this. West also pled guilty to charges from Aiken County stemming from a September 5, 2022, incident in which Aiken Department of Public Safety stopped a vehicle being driven by West. During this traffic stop, officers searched the vehicle. During that search, they located a handgun under the driver’s seat, as well as quantities of methamphetamine and ecstasy.
West has prior convictions for assault, check fraud, grand larceny, burglary, shoplifting, drug possession, forgery, identity fraud, blackmail, and extortion.
He was transported to the South Carolina Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.
