By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – A 27-year-old Alabaster man will spend the next few years in prison after he pleaded guilty to strangling and illegally imprisoning his girlfriend during an August 2014 incident.

O’Brian Rashad Huff, who lists an address on Regent Drive in Alabaster, pleaded guilty to a felony count of domestic violence by suffocation or strangulation and one misdemeanor count of unlawful imprisonment during an April 11 hearing at the Shelby County Courthouse.

As a result of the guilty pleas, Huff originally was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but his sentence was split between three years in prion followed by four years of supervised probation. He received 607 days of jail credit for time he served in the Shelby County Jail between his arrest and his sentencing date.

If Huff violates the conditions of his probation, his original 20-year prison sentence could be reinstated. Because he has one previous felony conviction, Huff was sentenced as a habitual offender.

As conditions of his sentence, Huff must avoid initiating any contact with the victim, her family or property, and must take and pass random drug and alcohol screens while he is on probation.

A second-degree theft of property charge against Huff was dropped as a result of a plea deal.

The Alabaster Police Department arrested Huff on Aug. 19, 2014, and charged him with the three crimes.

According to his indictments, he choked his girlfriend during an incident on Aug. 4, 2014. During the incident, Huff refused to let the victim leave as he punched her, pushed her and removed her clothing.