Crime ring busted by sheriff’s fugitive unit

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit recently made 14 arrests in connection with thefts and violent assaults in Stone Mountain.

Describing the group at a news conference at the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office on Sept. 8 as a “crime ring” that includes seven teenagers and three juveniles, officials revealed more about the arrests, which happened in August with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Task Force.

On Aug. 26, deputies stated they arrived at a residence on Copperfield Circle in Decatur to serve arrest warrants for four individuals wanted on charges of armed robbery and aggravated assault.

The operation resulted in an additional 68 warrants and the seizure of multiple illegal weapons and narcotics, including:

• 15 firearms (11 modified with illegal automatic switches)
• 220 grams of marijuana
• 77 grams of MDMA/ecstasy
• 82 grams of cocaine

The youngest suspect of the crime ring is a 15-year-old, while the oldest member is 43 years old, stated deputies. Three arrested juveniles under the age of 17 have not been identified by authorities; the other suspects and their charges include:

• Desiree George, 43 — possession of sawed-off shotgun or rifle, machine gun, silencer, or dangerous weapon prohibited.
• Kendrick Clark, 21 — possession of sawed-off shotgun or rifle, machine gun, silencer, or dangerous weapon prohibited; obstruction of law enforcement; giving false information; tampering with evidence.
• Egide Irankunda, 17 — possession of sawed-off shotgun or rifle, machine gun, silencer, or dangerous weapon prohibited; elder abuse; assault; possession of firearm during felony; armed robbery.
• Makhi Johnson, 18 — possession of sawed-off shotgun or rifle, machine gun, silencer, or dangerous weapon prohibited.
• Michael Vaughn Barron, 19 — possession of sawed-off shotgun or rifle, machine gun, silencer, or dangerous weapon prohibited.
• Deandre Tucker, 18 — possession of sawed-off shotgun or rifle, machine gun, silencer, or dangerous weapon prohibited.
• Sanchez Latimore, 18 — possession of sawed-off shotgun or rifle, machine gun, silencer, or dangerous weapon prohibited.
• Joshua Harris, 19 — possession of sawed-off shotgun or rifle, machine gun, silencer, or dangerous weapon prohibited.
• Kristopher Woullard, 19 — possession of sawed-off shotgun or rifle, machine gun, silencer, or dangerous weapon prohibited.
• Treonte Brintley, 23 —possession of sawed-off shotgun or rifle, machine gun, silencer, or dangerous weapon prohibited; active failure to appear; aggravated assault; possession of firearm during crime; murder.
• Sa’Quan Bailey, 21 — possession of sawed-off shotgun or rifle, machine gun, silencer, or dangerous weapon prohibited; trafficking ecstasy; possession with intent to distribute.

The juveniles arrested face similar charges, stated officials, including multiple counts of armed robbery, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during a felony, and elder abuse. At the news conference, Captain James Parker said the investigation was ongoing into the connections of the 14 arrested individuals, but the initial investigation was into the juveniles connected to the crime ring.

“When executing the warrants on the juveniles for armed robbery, aggravated assault and elder abuse, we stumbled upon the other suspects involved, as well as the multiple illegal guns and drugs,” Parker said.

Chief Deputy Temetris Atkins further explained that the Stone Mountain Police Department started the investigation after victims in the city, described as elderly, were robbed and assaulted. “What typically happens is that the agency that encounters these crimes initially are unable to locate the suspects and those warrants are turned over to the sheriff’s office. A that time, we take over the investigation to bring those suspects into custody,” Atkins said.

The house in Decatur where the arrests took place was described by Atkins as the primary residence of some of the detained suspects as well as a location that “the other suspects frequented on a regular basis.”

Atkins said teamwork by multiple jurisdictions and departments led to the discovery of the crime ring.

“I am extremely proud of the outstanding work by our deputies and appreciate the U.S. Marshals Task Force for their vital support,” he said. “These arrests demonstrate our unwavering commitment to public safety in DeKalb County.”