Man sentenced to 15 years for string of crimes over 2 years

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – A Spartanburg County man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for a string of crimes over two years.

According to the Seventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office, Jacob Ryan Mims, 32, pleaded guilty to the following charges:

• possession with intent to distribute methamphetamines,
• escape
• first-degree assault and battery
• forgery
• two counts of habitual traffic offender
• two counts of failure to stop motor vehicle when signaled by law enforcement

In November 2022, Mims was released from the Spartanburg County Detention Center to begin serving a one-year home detention sentence for a probation violation.

On December 19, 2022, Mims was stopped by officers with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office for a traffic violation.

Officers ran Mims’ driver’s license and discovered his license was suspended and he was a habitual traffic offender.

When officers asked Mims to exit the vehicle, Mims threw his ankle monitor out of the window and sped away. Officers pursued Mims for 11 miles at speeds up to 90 miles per hour; Mims drove in the opposite lane of travel throughout the pursuit.

Officers found Mims’ vehicle after it hit a tree and Mims had fled on foot.

Two days later officers were searching for Mims on Walnut Grove Road. When officers found Mims in a vehicle parked at a house, Mims drove the vehicle through the yard in an attempt to evade law enforcement.

Officers pursued Mims from Walnut Grove Road to Price House Road and eventually to Interstate 26. Mims drove on the wrong side of the interstate for about a mile before surrendering to officers.

The solicitor’s office said Mims served his probation violation sentence in the Spartanburg County Detention Center and made bond on his pending charges in August 2023.

However, the next month the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office began investigating a stolen vehicle incident.

Officers determined Mims had requested the victim give him the title to her vehicle, and when she would not provide it Mims forged the title. He thereafter registered the stolen vehicle as his with the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Officers located Mims in the process of spray-painting the stolen vehicle.

During a search, deputies found Fentanyl and a large quantity of methamphetamines.

He was arrested on drug charges and forgery and bonded out of jail the following day.

Mims failed to appear at a November 2023 hearing, his bond was revoked by the court, and he was thereafter arrested.

Assistant Solicitor Spenser Smith prosecuted Mims. Smith noted that “Mr. Mims endangered hundreds of lives during his car chases” and “with his long history of running from the police, our community is safer with Mr. Mims in prison.”

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