SALISBURY — A Kannapolis man who is a habitual felon was convicted this week in Rowan Superior Court of felony attempted conversion.

Ricky Leon Sweatt Jr., 34, admitted his status as a habitual felon. Judge Lori Hamilton sentenced him to a minimum of 48 months to a maximum of 70 months in prison.

Conversion essentially is the unlawful taking of someone else’s property or the unlawful use of someone else’s property.

On Jan. 23, 2015, officers with the Kannapolis Police Department were called to South Cannon Boulevard. A representative of Rent-a-Center told officers that someone had rented an Xbox gaming system and he believed it had been pawned. Officers determined that Sweatt pawned the item at Boulevard Pawn.

Sweatt has previous convictions on charges of felony forgery of an instrument, felony breaking and/or entering, and felony obtaining property by false pretenses, among other convictions.

Rowan County District Attorney Brandy Cook said she appreciates the joint effort on behalf of Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Greene and the Kannapolis Police Department in holding Sweatt accountable for his criminal conduct.