State of Georgia Office of the Attorney General

Fentanyl is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Dr. Guido Verbeck is making strides to change that. He has developed a first-of-its-kind drug-detecting drone that would help law enforcement identify fentanyl safely and efficiently. He has spent over a decade creating innovative solutions to detect harmful chemicals in the air, helping to protect communities and improve public health. “This is the kind of research that has the potential to save lives. I’m very proud that this work is happening here in Georgia.” - Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr

Carr: Convicted Child Sex Trafficker Sentenced to Life in Prison in Greene County Today, Attorney General Chris Carr announced that Anthony Charles Holmes, 33, of Cleveland, Ohio, who was previously convicted of trafficking a 16-year-old female, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 60 years. Holmes transported the underage victim from South Carolina to Atlanta to perform commercial sex acts. The 16-year-old female, who had been reported missing out of South Carolina, was recovered on Aug. 2, 2023, following a traffic stop initiated by the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Maggie Meetze. It was investigated by the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, the Taliaferro County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI)’s Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) Unit, with assistance from Criminal Investigator Frances Reyes, Analyst Umniah Al Bayati, and former Analyst Shawn Henry of the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eWqTyW7n

Yesterday, members of Georgia Retailers Organized Crime Alliance (GROC) Chad McManus, CFI, CFE, LPC Cheri Pickard-Akselsen State of Georgia Office of the Attorney General spoke to officers at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) about the rise of organized retail crime in the state of Georgia. From day one in office Susan K. Treadaway has made this a priority in Cherokee County. Through our continued collaboration with the Attorney General’s ORC Unit and retailers statewide we can educate our partners on best practices for investigating and dismantling those who target our communities.

Attorney General Chris Carr is proud to announce that Sheneka Terry has joined the Gang Prosecution Unit as an Assistant Attorney General in Columbus, where she will work with Criminal Investigator Amanda McKelvey to oversee the Unit’s regional efforts. Terry was most recently a Senior Assistant Public Defender and the Acting District Attorney of the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit from October 2021 until June 2022. McKelvey joined the Unit in July 2024 following 17 years of service with the Columbus Police Department. “By expanding our team to include a dedicated prosecutor and investigator in Columbus, we’re able to strengthen our efforts to fully dismantle the growing gang networks that are terrorizing our communities and recruiting our children day in and day out,” said Carr.

UPDATE: Attorney General Chris Carr’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit has secured yet another conviction in this case involving a 16-year-old who was recovered following a traffic stop in Greene County. ? On Oct. 21, 2024, after a five-day trial in Greene County, Anthony Holmes (33 of Ohio) was found guilty on all counts of the indictment, including Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude, Trafficking in Cocaine, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, among other charges. ? “Thanks to the leadership of our Governor and First Lady, law enforcement officers in Georgia are more equipped than ever before to identify the signs of human trafficking, and we’re saving lives as a result,” said Attorney General Carr. ? Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gdcRrdXY

Today, Attorney General Chris Carr announced that three gang members have been convicted and sentenced to prison for the March 5, 2023, fatal shooting of 24-year-old Ja’Vanni McDavid in the Five Points neighborhood of Athens. The defendants are members of Everybody Killa (EBK), a hybrid criminal street gang based in Athens. EBK has ties to major national Bloods and its primary alliance is with Everybody Eats (EBE), another hybrid criminal street gang based in Athens. Both Everybody Killa (EBK) and Everybody Eats (EBE) are engaged in a violent feud with Red Tape Gang (RTG), another hybrid criminal street gang based in Athens. Since 2021, the rivalry between EBK/EBE and RTG has resulted in several shootings and homicides throughout Athens-Clarke County, including the deaths of Ja’Vanni McDavid and three-year-old Kyron Santino Zarco Smith. Senior Assistant Attorney General Ryan Piechocinski, who also serves as Assistant Chief of the Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit, prosecuted the case. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI)’s Gang Task Force investigated the case, with assistance from the Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit. Since its creation in July 2022, the Gang Prosecution Unit has partnered with ACCPD to secure 12 convictions and indict 21 individuals in Athens alone. Read more: https://t.co/anuCYwXSFW

On Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce Day, we want to thank our local chambers and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce for all they do to support our small business owners and employees. Grateful for their partnership as we keep Georgia the best place to live, work, learn and raise a family.

Today, Attorney General Chris Carr announced the arrest and indictment of Roderick Branscomb, 49, of Columbus. From April 2021 through November 2023, Branscomb served as the Program Director of a methadone treatment clinic in LaGrange, Georgia, which provides services to those struggling with opioid use disorder. Over the course of his employment, Branscomb is alleged to have engaged in sexual misconduct with seven female patients who sought treatment from the clinic. This indictment follows a year-long investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Atlanta, Drug Enforcement Administration Atlanta Division, and HHS Office of Inspector General. Read more here: https://t.co/NeXgLgCqpC

Hiring for Assistant Attorney General - Prosecutions - White Collar and Cyber Crime Section.

Governor Brian Kemp has extended the State of Emergency for all of Georgia to assist with ongoing response and recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene. This means that the Price Gouging Statute will remain in effect until 11:59 PM on Oct. 9. Report suspected price gouging to our Consumer Protection Division. CALL ?? 404-651-8600 or 1-800-869-1123 (toll-free in Georgia) VISIT ?? consumer.ga.gov MORE ?? https://lnkd.in/ekX59Nb7