Richard Eugene Jordan, 46, of Hiddenite, was sentenced to an active prison term of six to eight years following his guilty plea to felony assault inflicting serious injury by strangulation and admission of his status as a habitual felon during Catawba County Superior Court on Monday, March 11, 2024.
The Honorable Daniel A. Kuehnert, Superior Court Judge from Burke County, imposed terms of the plea agreement that Jordan entered on the day his case was set to go to trial.
The defendant will serve his incarceration period in the custody of the North Carolina Division of Adult Corrections.
Jordan’s sentence length was enhanced by prior felony convictions for common law robbery in Iredell County (July 2022), flee/elude with motor vehicle in Iredell County (February 2014) and assault inflicting serious bodily injury in Alexander County (April 2012)
The offense occurred on August 9, 2023. The defendant was captured on video surveillance entering a local hotel with a female and approached the clerk. The two people left, but Jordan later returned and demanded money from the male clerk.
The defendant became angry during the conversation, jumped the counter and attacked the clerk, striking him multiple times.
When officers from Hickory Police Department arrived they found the victim lying on the floor behind the counter with Jordan still standing over him. The defendant was irate and resisted officers.
The victim was transported to the hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Nickolas Kidd investigated the case for Hickory Police Department. Assistant District Attorney Howard Wellons prosecuted the matter for the State with aid from Legal Assistant Meredith Scott.