THIS OPINION HAS NO PRECEDENTIAL VALUE. IT SHOULD NOT BE CITED OR RELIED ON AS PRECEDENT IN ANY PROCEEDING EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BY RULE 268(d)(2), SCACR.

THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA In The Supreme Court The State, Respondent, v. Lillian Mae Bates, Appellant.

Appellate Case No. 2023-000483

Appeal from Greenville County Edward W. Miller, Circuit Court Judge

Memorandum Opinion No. 2025-MO-040 Submitted June 16, 2025 – Filed August 27, 2025

AFFIRMED

Appellate Defender Jessica M. Saxon, of Columbia, for Appellant.

Attorney General Alan McCrory Wilson and Assistant Attorney General Joshua Abraham Edwards, both of Columbia; and Solicitor Cindy Smith Crick, of Greenville, for Respondent.

PER CURIAM: We certified this case from the court of appeals pursuant to Rule 204(b), SCACR. The issue in this appeal mirrors that presented in our recent decision in State v. Sweet, Op. No. 28297 (S.C. Sup. Ct. filed Aug. 20, 2025) (Howard Adv. Sh. No. 31 at 9). We affirm the appellant's conviction and sentence pursuant to Rule 220(b)(1), SCACR, and Sweet, (Howard Adv. Sh. No. 31 at 9).

AFFIRMED.

KITTREDGE, C.J., FEW, JAMES and HILL, JJ., concur. VERDIN, J., not participating.