A North Carolina man will serve more than a decade in prison after pleading guilty to a 2021 Horry County attack.
According to the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, 39-year-old Jason Willets of Whiteville has pled guilty to a high and severe assault and battery charge. Willets was scheduled to go to trial this week.
Prosecutors said the accusation stemmed from a 2021 assault at the J. Reuben that included a prison guard. According to officials, Willets testified during a hearing that he took up a chair and tossed it toward a desk area inside the cell block.
The chair then struck the officer in the head, injuring her and requiring medical treatment.
Following Willets’ plea, a judge sentenced him to 15 years in jail.