A Jones County man received five years to serve in confinement in a negotiated plea agreement resolving multiple charges including aggravated assault.
Justin Arthur Pittman entered his guilty plea April 18 in Jones County Superior Court. He received a sentence of 15 years for the aggravated assault charge and 12 months for the lesser include offense of misdemeanor obstruction of officer.
Both counts are to run concurrently for a total of 15 years with the first five years served in confinement. Pittman will receive credit for time served from his arrest Oct. 3, 2021.
Pittman was indicted by a Jones County Grand Jury Dec. 13, 2021, on charges of aggravated assault,cruelty to children in the first degree, felony obstruction of officer and criminal damage to property in the second degree.
The charges of cruelty to children and criminal damage to property were dismissed as part of plea negotiations.
The report of Pittman’s Oct. 3, 2021, arrest by Jones County Sheriff Office Deputy Thomas Sullivan stated that he was dispatched to the Haddock store in reference to a man yelling at cars passing by. The officer said he was familiar with Pittman and recognized him walking into the store when he arrived.
Sullivan said he was approached by a young man as he exited his car. The man said Pittman choked him and bit his finger. The complainant said the suspect came over and started beating on him for no reason.
Sullivan said, when Pittman came out of the store, he could smell alcohol on his person. The officer said the suspect hit him and started fighting when he tried to put him in handcuffs. Sullivan said he was eventually able to calm Pittman down, get him in handcuffs and place him in the patrol car.
After Pittman was secure, Sullivan spoke with witnesses who backed up the victim’s statement.
He said they were accompanied by backup officers who had arrived at the scene, when Pittman was transported to the Jones County jail.
Sullivan said the suspect fought officers again after arriving at the jail.
