Latest news with #CherokeeCountyDistrictAttorney'sOffice
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Yahoo
Canton man gets decades in prison for rape conviction, DA says
A 29-year-old Canton man will spend more than 20 years in prison after being convicted of rape. The Cherokee County District Attorney's Office announced the sentencing for Ryan Daniel Borden on Friday. According to the DA's office, Ryan was accused of raping a women in a Canton apartment on Nov. 6, 2021. The victim reported it to police and Borden was charged. When the case went to trial in March, prosecutors presented multiple pieces of evidence, including jail call recordings, crime scene photographs and the testimony of seven witnesses. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Marietta police investigating after teen run over by reckless driver in parking lot MARTA police investigating shooting at Ashby Station Mom turns in child accused of stealing instruments from McIntosh High School The DA's office said Borden's victim died before the trial and could not testify. 'Tragically, the victim passed away of natural causes before trial and was unable to testify,' Assistant District Attorney Meaghan Frankish, of the Special Victims Unit, said. 'Still, we were able to move forward with the case using her prior statements and interviews. Our role is not only to seek justice for individual victims, but also to protect the broader community.' Judge Jennifer L. Davis sentenced Borden to serve 25 years in prison. He will also be banned from returning to Cherokee County and is ineligible for parole. Davis also ordered Borden to have no contact with witnesses or the victim's family. 'The jury carefully weighed the evidence and ultimately found this defendant guilty,' District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway said. 'Through the diligent efforts of the law enforcement and medical professionals involved in the investigation, the victim's voice was heard. This sentence ensures that the defendant is removed from society before he can do further harm.' [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Yahoo
Rusk man sentenced to life in prison after robbing, killing elderly man in 2022
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — A Rusk man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Friday after robbing and killing a 70-year-old man in 2022. According to the Cherokee County District Attorney's Office, on April 22, 2022, Christopher Anthony Peoples of Rusk robbed and attacked Valentine Ortega Sanchez of Rusk with a knife, leaving him dead in his driveway near Martin Luther King Boulevard and Dixon Avenue. SHERIFF: Husband dies from gunshot wounds during domestic dispute in Polk County Officials said around 1 a.m. on April 23, 2022, Peoples fled from deputies in a vehicle while disposing of evidence south of Rusk on FM 241 and then wrecked in the 3000 block of FM 241. Deputies removed Peoples from the vehicle and began life-saving measures before EMS arrived and took him to a local hospital by helicopter where he was then arrested for evading arrest in a vehicle. While in police custody on April 24, 2022, Peoples 'confessed to committing the act of murder at a residence on Dixon Avenue in Rusk,' according to a release from the sheriff's office. On April 28, 2022, a warrant for capital murder was issued. The DA's office said they presented four days of testimony, DNA evidence and video footage. 'While fleeing police, Peoples attempted to dispose of evidence that proved his guilt,' the DA's office said. The jury deliberated for less than an hour before finding Peoples guilty of capital murder, sentencing him to life in prison without possibility of parole. Longview man arrested after allegedly shooting, killing neighbor's dog 'The efforts of the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and Rusk Police Department ensured that Justice was done on this case,' Cherokee County District Attorney Jonathan Richey said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Acworth man sentenced to 20 years in prison for repeatedly, violently assaulting woman
An Acworth man was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of aggravated battery and family violence. According to the Cherokee County District Attorney's Office, Jonathon Bailey Panter, 26, was charged in February 2024 after he violently assaulted a woman multiple times. The DA's office said Panter and his victim lived at the same residence and after she sought medical treatment at a hospital, the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office became aware of the multiple assaults. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 'She had bruises and abrasions on her legs, midsection, arms, neck and face,' the DA's office said in a statement. 'She also had petechial hemorrhaging in her eye, which is a sign of strangulation. She told CSO deputies that Panter beat her 'half to death.'' In mid-March, Panter was found guilty of the assault and family violence charges after prosecutors showed a jury nearly 90 pieces of evidence detailing the victim's injuries. TRENDING STORIES: Felon convicted again after bringing guns to Reinhardt University campus Sausage, pepperoni Pizza company partners with Google for upgraded ordering experience Man accused of killing teen carrying his child granted bond again On Wednesday, Panter was sentenced. Prosecutors recommended a 60-year sentence, with the first 35 years to be served in prison, but the judge sentenced him to 20 years. He was also banned from returning to Cherokee County and ordered to not contact the victim. 'The evidence we presented at the sentencing hearing showed that this defendant has demonstrated no remorse for his actions and continues to shift the blame onto others for the crimes he committed. His refusal to take responsibility underscores the necessity of a substantial prison sentence,' Assistant District Attorney Macelyne A. Williams, of the Domestic Violence Unit, who prosecuted this case on behalf of the State, said in a statement. Due to being a repeat offender, the DA's office said Panter would not be eligible for parole. 'This defendant violently attacked an especially vulnerable woman who felt she had no one to turn to, and nowhere else to go,' District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway said. 'This case is a powerful reminder of the devastating impact domestic violence has on victims and communities. We will continue to pursue justice for victims and work to make sure offenders are removed from our streets.' [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Yahoo
3 sentenced to Georgia prison for roles in series of smash and grab burglaries, RICO Act violations
Three members of what law enforcement officers called an international theft ring entered guilty pleas to a string of commercial burglaries and will each spend more than a decade in prison. According to the Cherokee County District Attorney's Office, Maykel Olides Hernandez, Javier Guerra-Morales and Giorge Navea each pled guilty to their roles in a series of crimes across several metro Atlanta counties, including Cherokee, Cobb, Forsyth and Fulton counties, and Knox County, Tenn. The three were accused of committing five burglaries from December 2022 to March 2023. Channel 2 Action News covered when Hernandez, Guerra-Morales and Navea were arrested in August 2023 by Forsyth County deputies. According to officers at the time, detectives determined that the three men were part of an active South American theft group and similar groups and had targeted several homes and businesses for smash and grabs. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway says all three pled guilty to violating Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, as well as multiple smash and grab burglary, theft and property damage charges. 'These defendants worked together in a coordinated effort, with a clear plan to target specific jewelry stores and steal valuable merchandise. Although four of the stores they burglarized were outside of Cherokee County, we were able to charge the defendants under Georgia's RICO Act,' Treadaway said in a statement. 'Law enforcement partners from multiple agencies played a crucial role in this case, enabling Cherokee County to combat organized retail crime within our jurisdiction and beyond.' TRENDING STORIES: Man accused of buying students luxury gifts, trying to enroll in school now facing charges Jonesboro mayor resigns as council calls for audit of city's finances Ban on school traffic cameras passes Georgia House, heads to Senate for approval The DA's office said that the investigation determined that the defendants had taken their stolen merchandise, burgled from several jewelry stores, and sold them in Florida to be melted down and resold. Collectively, officials said thefts from a store in Canton and another in Alpharetta yielded about $1.7 million in stolen goods. The three were ordered to pay $1.3 million in restitution, based on damage to the stores, the stolen merchandise and insurance deductibles, and were banned from Cherokee County and from contacting each other. Hernandez, Guerra-Morales and Navea were sentenced to: Maykel Olides Hernandez, 40, entered a non-negotiated guilty plea on Feb. 27 and was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Tony Baker to 30 years, with the first 13 years in confinement. As a recidivist offender pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 17-10-7 (a) and (c), Hernandez will be required to serve the entire prison portion of his sentence without parole eligibility. Javier Guerra-Morales, 33, entered a negotiated guilty plea on Feb. 27 and was sentenced to 20 years, with the first 9 years in confinement. Giorge Navea, 35, entered a negotiated guilty plea on March 5 and was sentenced to 25 years, with the first 10 years in confinement. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Yahoo
Ex-chief of staff at Cobb sheriff's office found guilty of making false statements to police
A former high-ranking official with the Cobb County Sheriff's Office is without a job after he was found guilty of lying to the police. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] On Friday, a Cherokee County jury found Braxton Tyree Cotton, 44, of Mableton, guilty on two counts of making a false statement and representation and falsifying and concealing a material fact. In July 2023, the Cobb County District Attorney's Office requested a substitute prosecutor for Cotton's case, which led to Cherokee County District Attorney's Office taking over. 'This decision was made to ensure fairness and impartiality in the proceedings,' Cherokee County District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway said. Channel 2′s Cobb County Bureau Chief Michelle Newell broke the story in April 2023. At that time, Cotton was a major and chief of staff for the Cobb County Sheriff's Office. The conviction stemmed from an investigation initiated on March 15, 2023, due to the report of an accident. According to warrants, Cotton lied to a Cobb County police officer that he knew well about a hit-and-run accident that he claimed happened on March 14. The Cherokee County District Attorney's Office said Cotton first told a Cobb County Police officer that the crash occurred on March 4, 2023, around 8:45 p.m. on Macland and Lost Mountain roads. According to warrants, he told the officer through texts and phone calls that someone had hit his car. License plate reading camera images showed Cotton's car was not damaged hours after he claimed it had been. The warrant goes on to say that Cotton admitted to the officer that his car wasn't damaged in a hit-and-run and said it had been hit sometime between midnight and 2 a.m. on March 5 by a woman he knew. Cotton told police the woman was driving without insurance at the time. Traffic cameras prove that wasn't true, either. Flock cameras and surveillance video determined that Cotton's car was hit sometime between 12:18 and 1:16 a.m. on March 5. A detective later identified the other driver, who was a woman with whom Cotton had a relationship. Cellphone data from Cotton's phone service provider showed him in contact with the same woman before and after the alleged accident, which is inconsistent with what Cotton allegedly told the officer. Court documents show the woman received insurance coverage the day after the alleged accident. Cotton was arrested on April 28, 2024. TRENDING STORIES: Suspect dead after officer-involved shooting in Paulding County Deputies catch metro Atlanta duo attempting drone prison drop Today marks 5 years since Georgia's first COVID-19 cases were confirmed During the trial, which occurred from Feb. 24 to Feb. 27, the State presented 79 exhibits and called four witnesses to testify, including the Cobb County police officer who took the initial report, the detective who investigated the incident, and an insurance investigator. The woman who rear-ended Cotton's car also testified, admitting that she crashed into the Corvette and left the scene, according to the DA. One witness, Cobb County Sheriff Craig D. Owens Sr., testified on behalf of Cotton. Cotton was sentenced to five years, with the first six months to serve in confinement and the remainder to serve on probation. Cotton was also charged with criminal attempt to commit insurance fraud, criminal attempt to commit a felony, and two counts of violation of oath by public officer, but was acquitted by the jury on those counts in the indictment. 'Evidence presented at trial clearly showed that this man attempted to manipulate other law enforcement officers by fabricating facts surrounding a rear-end collision, all for his own benefit,' said Chief Assistant District Attorney Katie Gropper of the Cherokee County District Attorney's Office. 'Such behavior cannot be tolerated, as it undermines the public's confidence in the integrity of law enforcement.' [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
