A Camden man who pled guilty July 8 to shooting into his ex-girlfriend’s home a year ago will spend at least the next three years in prison. Harley Joe Moore, 34, pled guilty to charges of discharging a firearm into a dwelling, unlawful carrying of a pistol and second degree burglary in conjunction with a July 14, 2014, incident.
A grand jury did not indict Moore on other charges from that date and a June 13, 2014, incident at Moore’s home. Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) deputies had also charged Moore with kidnapping, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and an additional count of second degree burglary.
In the July 2014 incident, Moore reportedly tried to break into his ex-girlfriend’s east Camden home while she and her 11-year-old son were inside a little after 9 p.m. Moore fired a .357 magnum handgun into a doorknob and through a glass door. The woman armed herself and told her son to hide in a closet. Moore later entered the home, but fled when he couldn’t find her.
A KCSO deputy arrested him a short distanced away with the pistol and empty shell casings in one of Moore’s pockets. In late August 2014, Moore appeared before a circuit court judge who set bond of $85,000 for most of the charges, but denied him bond for the burglary offense. This kept him in the Kershaw County Detention Center (KCDC) until his July 8 hearing.
During the alleged June 2014 incident, Moore reportedly threatened and assaulted the woman and fired a handgun into the ceiling of his own home while threatening her.
For discharging a firearm into a dwelling and the second degree burglary charge, Moore received a 10-year sentence, suspended to three years in prison and five years probation. A judge credited Moore for the year he spent at the KCDC. This deal is only good, according to online court records, if he undergoes substance abuse counseling, random drug and alcohol testing, mental health treatment and has no contact with the victims.
Moore received a one-year prison sentence for the unlawful carrying of a pistol charge, for which he was credited for the year spent at the KCDC.
According to the KCSO, Moore’s criminal history included arrests for assault and battery with intent to kill, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, felony malicious injury to property, harassment, obscene phone calls or unlawful use of a telephone, failure to stop for blue lights, solicitation of prostitution, DUI, open container and public disorderly conduct. Moore was also reportedly prohibited by federal law to possess a firearm.
A Kershaw County grand jury never indicted Moore on the assault and battery with intent to kill charge. In that case, deputies arrested Moore in September 2002 for allegedly driving an ex-girlfriend’s car with “reckless abandon” in a way which made the victim in that case feel he showed a “willful disregard for her safety.” Online Kershaw County court records show the charge was dismissed in Feb. 2004. Those same records showed grand juries never indicted Moore for the assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and malicious injury charges.
According to Lancaster County online court records, Moore was found guilty at a bench trial for solicitation and sentenced to whatever time he had served following his arrest.
Online S.C. Department of Corrections records show Moore was admitted to the Kirkland Reception and Evaluation Center in Columbia on July 14 -- exactly one year after he fired his gun into his ex-girlfriend’s home.
Moore’s ultimate inmate status will be determined by Kirkland’s staff. When the evaluation is complete he will be transferred to a correctional institution and his online information updated to reflect his projected release date and parole eligibility.
