Crime

3rd strike conviction results in life sentence for self-lawyered defendant

A defendant who elected to represent himself in court last week was sentenced to life in prison after a Fayette County jury found him guilty of trafficking in cocaine.

Sanyo Walter McGee had two prior felony drug convictions, so he was sentenced as a repeat offender by Fayette County Superior Court Judge Fletcher Sams, meaning McGee will have to serve every day of his life sentence, said Fayette County Assistant District Attorney David Younker. Read More»

Man, woman charged in Friday south Fayette home invasion

Fayette County Sheriff’s deputies on Dec. 3 arrested two of the four people sought in a south Fayette County home invasion that occurred earlier that morning when four individuals came to the house posing as law enforcement. The arrests came at a traffic stop along Ga. Highway 74 and Tyrone Road.

Michelle Marie Perez, 30, of Atlanta, and Darius McKee Gray, 38, of College Park, were each charged with one count of armed robbery and three counts of kidnapping, according to Sheriff Wayne Hannah. Read More»

U.S. Attorney investigates possible tainting of Judge Camp’s cases

U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates announced Dec. 2 that her office is continuing to investigate the outcomes of cases administered by discredited U.S. Senior District Judge Jack Camp and whether the sentences he imposed between May and September might have been affected by his admitted drug use or any racial bias. Yates said her office would not object to requests for re-sentencing for cases in which Camp presided during the May-September time frame during which he was using drugs and engaged in a relationship with an Atlanta stripper. Read More»

Police: PTC church burglar caught

A 24-year-old Peachtree City man has been arrested for burglarizing two churches here, taking electronics, cash, computers and musical instruments, police said Thursday afternoon.

Authorities also linked Joseph Michael Robinson to two similar incidents in unincorporated Fayette and Coweta counties, police said.

A substantial amount of electronics and money was found in Robinson’s residence at 203 Morgans Turn, and some of the items appear to be related to a fifth church burglary, at a location in North Georgia, police said. Read More»

2 arrested for South Fayette home invasion

Fayette County Sheriff's deputies have arrested two people in connection with a home invasion Friday morning at a home off Padgett Road in south Fayette County. Read More»

Police: PTC church burglar caught

Also charged with church burglaries in Fayette, Coweta counties; loot found in offender's PTC home

A 24-year-old Peachtree City man has been arrested for burglarizing two churches here, taking electronics, cash, computers and musical instruments, police said this afternoon.
Authorities also linked Joseph Michael Robinson to two similar incidents Read More»

Guilty pleas in bank robbery, holdup of Walgreens, kidnapping of woman

An Atlanta man pled guilty Monday to robbing the Bank of America off Ga. Highway 314 in Fayetteville Aug. 15, 2009.

Michael Ray Baskerville Jr., 34, of Washington Street, Atlanta was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison consecutive to a prison term he is already serving for two similar bank robberies in Cobb County, said Fayette County Assistant District Attorney Warren Sellers.

Baskerville was charged with the robbery in October 2009 after he was arrested during the robbery of a SunTrust bank in Cobb County, officials said. Read More»

F’ville cops bust 5 store workers for underage alcohol sales

It really doesn’t pay to sell alcohol to underage buyers. That is what the clerks at five Fayetteville convenience stores found out Nov. 26. All were arrested after selling to an underage buyer who was working with Fayetteville Police. The good news is that seven other stores refused to make the sale. Read More»

Deputy dragged, thrown from vehicle after traffic stop; suspect shot

An incident during a traffic stop on County Line Road Monday night left a Fayette County Sheriff’s deputy injured after being dragged and thrown from the vehicle when the passenger attempted to flee the scene. The deputy’s injury was not life-threatening. A suspect was shot and wounded by the deputy, police said. Read More»

Fayette law officers caution holiday shoppers on crime perils

Fayetteville Police and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office want shoppers to stay safe and aware during the holiday shopping season. With that in mind, both agencies are providing tips to help ensure safer holiday shopping.

Fayetteville Police say shopping during the holiday season can present unique dangers when busy people become careless and vulnerable to theft and other crimes. Taking a few preventative measures can help keep the holiday season joyous, officers said. Those measures include:

• Shop during daylight hours whenever possible. Read More»