Stealing cars and shooting at a house land Wichita man in prison

A 20-year-old Wichita man has been sentenced to more than two years in prison for a string of crimes last year, officials said.

Carter Branham was sentenced Wednesday to 31 months in prison by Sedgwick County District Court Judge Stephen Ternes, according to a statement released by the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Branham was convicted of stealing several cars between July and November. He also led law enforcement officers on two different chases and fired a weapon at an occupied home.

He pleaded guilty last October to two counts of felony theft and one count of fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, officials said. While he was out on bond, he committed more crimes.

He pleaded guilty in February to four counts of felony theft, one count of fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement and one count of criminal discharge of a firearm. Tests connected bullets recovered at the scene of a drive-by shooting with a weapon recovered in a stolen car linked to Branham, officials said.

The judge also ordered Branham to pay $12,000 in restitution to victims. Branham will have to register as a violent offender once he is released from prison.

This story was originally published March 30, 2017 at 4:14 PM with the headline "Stealing cars and shooting at a house land Wichita man in prison."