Two Midlands men charged after 5 cars reported stolen from area dealership

Two men were charged following the reported theft of five vehicles from a Charleston Highway dealership, Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said in a news release.

Blake Stephen Sparks, 34, of Lexington and Mikel Edison King, 34, of Blythewood, allegedly stole the 5 used cars during the early hours of June 3 by driving through a chain link fence at Columbia Auto Auction in West Columbia.

Sparks and King were charged with a singe count of grand larceny and if found guilty could face 10 years in jail and a fine.

Sparks was being held at the Lexington County Detention Center. King was being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention center in Richland County on an unrelated charge, Koon said.