The mother of a man accused of sleeping with a 14-year-old fainted in the courtroom Wednesday after her son pleaded guilty to the charge in Lowndes County Circuit Court.
Joseph Ervin, 25, entered an open plea to one count of statutory rape. During court, his mother fainted and was taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle. Her injuries did not appear serious, and she walked down the courthouse steps to the ambulance with the help of paramedics.
Ervin was indicted after he allegedly had sex with a 14-year-old girl when he was 23. His trial had already begun when he entered the plea.
“My client took responsibility, albeit late in the day … and pleaded guilty before the underage witness had to take the stand,” Ervin’s attorney, Donna Smith, said after the plea.
Smith added she did not know the condition of Ervin’s mother.
Ervin will be sentenced Friday.
Another defendant, Matthew Nickoles, 28, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and will spend a year in the Mississippi Department of Corrections, according to court records.
Nickoles was charged after Columbus Police Department Animal Control Officer Alex Jones said the suspect set his pit bull on him in 2015. Jones had responded to Nickoles’ residence to tell him to keep the dog chained. Nickoles will spend four years on probation following his year in prison.
Other defendants who have pleaded this week include 21-year-old Curtis Clay Jr. for armed robbery, and 27-year-old Mark Coffey for aggravated assault.
Clay will spend 20 years in MDOC. He was indicted in 2016 on three counts of armed robbery for robbing several convenience stores in Lowndes County. Deputies in Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office arrested Clay in May 2016.
Two of Clay’s three armed robbery charges were retired as part of his plea deal.
Coffey will spend 15 years in MDOC. He was arrested in 2015 for allegedly shooting into a car and injuring a teenage girl.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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Matthew Nickoles
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