Loris man sentenced to 30 years in prison for armed robbery

A Loris man was found guilty of an armed robbery that happened last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison on Thursday following a jury trial at the Horry County Judicial Center, officials said.

Raymond Smiley, 54, was convicted of robbing the Wilco/Hess Store in Loris on August 23, 2014, according to a press release from the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

The release said Smiley approached the store register as if he was going to make a purchase, but instead he pulled out what appeared to be a gun partially wrapped in a paper napkin and demanded money from the register.

Officers with the Loris Police Department responded to the incident, and Chief Sheppard reportedly obtained a confession from Smiley, admitting he robbed the Wilco Store, according to the release.

Smiley was released from a 20-year sentence on a prior armed robbery conviction nine months before the Wilco incident, authorities said.

Smiley also has prior convictions for criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, assault with intent to kill, housebreaking, second-degree arson, and several other offenses, according to the release.

Based on Smiley’s record, Judge Benjamin Culbertson, sentenced Smiley to 30 years, which is the maximum sentence for armed robbery, after the trial began on Wednesday, officials said.

Senior Assistant Solicitor George DeBusk prosecuted the case.

This story was originally published September 12, 2015 at 9:01 AM with the headline "Loris man sentenced to 30 years in prison for armed robbery."