Conover Man Gets Prison Time For Winston-Salem Shooting Incident

A Catawba County man received a prison sentence Friday (July 18) after entering a guilty plea in shooting case. He was charged with firing a gun at several people near downtown Winston-Salem in December 2024.

According to published reports, 21-year-old Jayven Shane Helton of Conover made a false allegation to Winston-Salem Police. The prosecutor said that the defendant stated he fired his gun to defend himself from Black people trying to rob him. Helton is White.

Helton pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, three counts of assault by pointing a gun, going armed to terror of people and injury to personal property.

Judge Penn Broyhill of Forsyth Superior Court sentenced Helton to serve one year and 10 months to three years in prison and ordered him to pay more than $830 in restitution. Broyhill gave Helton credit for the seven months he spent in the Forsyth County Jail awaiting his court hearing.

Story: Rob Eastwood-WHKY