Gang charges added in robbery incident

Published 8:47 pm Wednesday, May 17, 2017

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Two men and a woman charged last week in connection with the beating and robbery of a Moultrie man face additional felony charges.

Police on May 8 arrested Justin Levin Thornton, 28, and Alexis Danielle Griffin, 26, both of 5278A U.S. Hwy. 319 N., Norman Park, and the following day arrested Clayton Bradley Zimmerman, 37, 1711 Seventh St. S.E.

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At the time the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office charged the three with armed robbery. A fourth suspect, Joseph Keith “Jody” Fender, 35, also is being sought in the case.

Jose Manuel Jimenez, of the 2200 block of Highway 133 North, showed up at about 6:12 a.m. at the sheriff’s office to report that he had been assaulted.

He told police that he arrived at Thornton and Griffin’s residence, which police described as being in Crosland, at some time around 3 a.m., police said. Jimenez reportedly knew Griffin, but not the other three.

“They lured the victim there,” sheriff’s Sgt. Timmy Barnes said.

Griffin came to the passenger-side window of Jimenez’s Ford 250 pickup truck, he said, and the three men pulled him out of it while he was distracted.

After he was out of the truck and on the ground, Jimenez told police, the men beat and kicked him. He was then robbed of the money in his pockets before they bound him and searched his truck for additional loot.

The additional charges include criminal gang activity, kidnapping, false imprisonment, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm or knife while trying to commit crimes and conspiracy to commit a crime — all felonies. Zimmerman and Griffin also are charged with conspiracy to commit a crime.

Georgia law defines a “criminal street gang” as an organization or group of three or more people who engage in certain crimes to include  violence, possession or use of a weapon while engaged in criminal activity.

Jimenez’s period of being bound and held while his money was taken was not long, Barnes said. His assailants got away with less than $200.

“He was tied up for a short period, put back in the truck and told to leave,” he said.

In other arrests

Sheriff’s Office

• Brittany Nicole Duke, 24, 1921 Mitchell County Line Road, was charged Tuesday with three counts possession of Schedule IV controlled substance and one count each possession of Schedule II controlled substance and driving while tag suspended.

• Russell Colin Roberts, 37, 1996 Ellenton-Omega Road, Norman Park, was charged Tuesday with theft by deception and burglary.

• Angel Maria McClelland, 225 Indian Lake Drive Lot 48, was charged Sunday with disorderly conduct.

• Alex Terell Harvey, 31 455 S. Harney St., Apt. 1, Camilla, was charged Tuesday with failure to appear.

• Derrick Donta Key, 35, 512 First St. S.E., was charged Tuesday with failure to appear.

• Ga-Miveya Monyale Dozier, 23, 1000 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, was charged Monday with contempt of court.

Moultrie Police

• Jeremy Jujuan Robinson, 23, 128 Tallokas Circle, was charged Tuesday with transmission of photo/video of nudity or sexually explicit conduct of an adult.

• Elliott Temetrius Walker, 44, 300 Third St. S.W., was charged Monday with possession of cocaine.

Probation violation

Sheriff’s Office

• Ishmel Raphael Stevenson, 26, 185 Medders Drive, Omega.

• Clarence Harrell III, 37, 906 Sam Salvador Drive, Dunedin, Fla.

• Daniel Omar Corado, 22, 1808 Overlook Drive.

• Darron Matthew Weldon, 40, 1956 Lower Meigs Road.

Thefts

Moultrie Police

• Jessica Henderson, 26, Moultrie, reported Tuesday the theft of a cell phone that she misplaced in the 600 block of Veterans Parkway South.

• Gina Sharp, 24, Norman Park, reported Friday the theft of an LG Vista cell phone valued at $160 that she left in a restroom at a business in the 600 block of Veterans Parkway South.

Sheriff’s Office

• Grover Harmon, 200 block Blackberry Lane, reported Saturday the theft of a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck of unknown value.

• Anna Mercer, 600 block Old Albany Road, reported Saturday that someone took her 2003 Buick Century during the night but left it parked in the roadway in front of her residence.

Property worth a total of $24 was stolen from inside the car.

• Colin White, 200 block Cool Springs-Ellenton Road, Norman Park, reported Friday the theft of a firearm valued at $200.

• Hunter Whiddon, 2700 block Cool Springs Road, reported Monday the theft of property valued at $65 that belongs to Woody Weeks.

• Jimmy Williams, 800 block U.S. Highway 319 North, reported May 11 the theft of a firearm valued at $229 and other property worth $155.

Burglary

Sheriff’s Office

• Marqie Beverly, 800 block Sardis Church Road, reported Saturday the theft of property valued at $160.

• Marsha McVay, 200 block Taylor Road, reported May 11 the theft of an old table valued at $200.

Battery

Sheriff’s Office

• Amber Harrison, 100 block Thomas Street, Norman Park, reported Monday that a male companion hit and kicked her.

Officers noticed injuries to Harrison indicating that she had been attacked, police said.

• Eddie Moye, 2500 block Old Albany Road, Doerun, reported Saturday that a male relative assaulted him and left before police arrived.

• Steven Ricks reported Sunday an assault by two female acquaintances during which he was struck in the head with a drinking cup.

Fraud

Moultrie Police

• David Daniels, 10 block Second Avenue Southeast, reported Tuesday an instance of financial identity fraud that resulted in a theft of $107.

• Takeima Owens, 25, Moultrie, reported Friday that a man fraudulently claimed her as a dependent on his income tax return, prevent her from receiving the refund she is owed.

• Charlotte Jankowski, 800 block Fourth Avenue Southeast, reported Friday that she was the victim of financial transaction card fraud.

Sheriff’s Office

• Jared Thompson, 400 block Seminole Drive, Norman Park, reported Friday that he was the victim of identity theft.

Property damage

Sheriff’s Office

• Justin Winders, 6600 block U.S. Highway 319 North, reported Saturday that someone shot the tailgate of his 1982 GMC Scottsdale.

• Teri Lupo, 4800 block Oak Arbor Drive, Valdosta, reported May 11 damage to a fence at property in the 800 block of St. Paul Church Road, Omega.

• Monica Lynn Watsoh, Alapaha, reported Saturday an incident of property damage in the 500 block of Veterans Parkway South.

• Diane Paulk, 800 block U.S. Highway 319 South, reported Saturday that the driver of SUV drove through her front yard, causing damage.

Moultrie Police

• Shandi Caldwell, 500 block 27th Street Southeast, reported Tuesday that someone damaged a front tire on her 2003 Kia Sorento.

A niece told Caldwell that she saw one of her aunt’s ex-boyfriends making “jabbing-type” motions while slouched near the front of the car.

• Gloria Lewis, 400 block Eighth Street Northwest, reported Tuesday that someone damaged the lights on the tire rims of her 1996 Chevrolet Caprice Classic.

• Southern Regional Technical College, 361 Industrial Drive, reported Monday that someone fired a bullet through the glass doors at the front of the building.

• Mariscal Moreno, 32, Moultrie, reported Monday that a driver struck her 2003 Ford Expedition while parked in the 1700 block of First Avenue Southeast.

• Latoya Carr, 700 block Joe Louis Avenue, reported Saturday that after hearing a loud noise during the night she found a bullet hole in her 2009 Honda Accord.

She told police there was a bullet hole on the trunk lid and that there was a hole in the left rear portion where the bullet exited.

• Allexius Bronner, 200 block Fourth Street Northwest, reported Saturday that a male companion broke the rear passenger window of her car during an argument.

The man was gone when police arrived, but officers were called back a short time later when he returned.

The man agreed to leave and an officer drove him to a location where his family from Albany could pick him up.

• Beatrice Weeks, 800 block  Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, reported Saturday that a man crashed into the curb in front of her residence, damaging her grass, and then drove away.

Weeks followed the man to a store on West Bypass and when she confronted him he offered to pay for the damage. Weeks already had called police and tried to stall the man until they arrived, but he again drove away.