Man pleads guilty to armed robbery, attempted sexual assault charges

By WYFF Staff

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    GREENVILLE COUNTY, South Carolina (WYFF) — The man police say was responsible for the armed robbery and attempted rape of a woman running on the Swamp Rabbit Trail is headed to prison, according to solicitor Walt Wilkins.

Ronald McKinney, 31, pleaded guilty to faces charges of armed robbery, first-degree assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct on Tuesday, according to Wilkins.

He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The incident happened at about 2:35 p.m. Nov. 25, 2019 on the Swamp Rabbit Trail near the Cane Halter YMCA.

According to police, the victim, a 49-year-old woman, was walking alone on the trail when McKinney came up from behind and forced her to the ground.

Police said McKinney tried to take the woman’s clothes off and hit her on the head with a gun before running away with the woman’s belongings.

Authorities searched the area, viewed video footage from nearby homes, interviewed witnesses and increased patrols along the trail.

A Greenville police officer contacted a man days after the incident in the same area who matched the description the woman gave investigators.

Detectives identified the man as McKinney,

Police said they searched McKinney’s home and they found clothes and a gun they believe he used in the robbery.

Wilkins said the pistol found in McKinney’s home was processed for DNA and the victim’s DNA was found on the pistol’s barrel and trigger.

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