THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
In The Court of Appeals

The State,        Respondent,

v.

Richard Ridley,        Appellant.

Appeal From Aiken County
James R. Barber, III, Circuit Court Judge

Unpublished Opinion No. 2003-UP-561
Submitted July 15, 2003 – Filed September 29, 2003

APPEAL DISMISSED

Chief Attorney Daniel T. Stacey, of Columbia, for Appellant.

Attorney General Henry Dargan McMaster, Chief Deputy Attorney General John W. McIntosh and Assistant Deputy Attorney General Charles H. Richardson, all of Columbia; and Solicitor Barbara R. Morgan, of Aiken, for Respondent.

PER CURIAM:  Richard Ridley pled guilty to third degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC), assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature (ABHAN), and failure to register as a sex offender.  He was sentenced to ten years for third degree CSC, ten years, consecutive, for ABHAN, and ninety days, consecutive, for failure to register as a sex offender.  Ridley’s appellate counsel filed a brief pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967).  Counsel additionally submitted a petition to be relieved from representation, asserting there are no directly appealable issues of arguable merit.  Ridley did not file a pro se response with the Court.

After a review of the record pursuant to Anders and State v. Williams, 305 S.C. 116, 406 S.E.2d 357 (1991), we dismiss the appeal and grant counsel’s petition to be relieved. [1]

APPEAL DISMISSED.

HEARN, C.J., CONNOR and ANDERSON, JJ., concur.