Columbia man gets five years supervised probation after shooting into vehicle

A man has been sentenced to five years of supervised probation after shooting into a vehicle on Newton Drive in September of 2016.

Judge Christine Carpenter made the decision on Tuesday to give Majikwon Morales probation, and suspend execution of a four-year prison sentence. Morales pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a weapon and tampering with a motor vehicle on March 27. Morales needs to find full-time employment within 60 days as part of the special terms of his probation.

Morales’s attorney, Tyler Coyle, said Morales was not trying to shoot the person in the car, but was trying to “scare” them by firing into the door panel. He has no prior felony convictions, and said one of his two jobs he held before his arrest may take him back.

“If I want better, I have to do better,” said Morales.

Assistant prosecutor Brouck Jacobs opposed probation, and asked that Morales receive four years in prison on each count. Jacbos said the court needed to “send a message to anyone out there that wants to settle disputes” with guns that the court won’t give out probation.

Judge Carpenter suspended the execution of the sentence. That means the convictions will stay on his record if he completes probation.