Carr’s Gang Prosecution Unit Convicts Five in Thomas County Shooting

Attorney General Chris Carr announced that five members of RNBA, a hybrid criminal street gang based in Boston, Georgia, have been convicted and sentenced to prison for their involvement in a shooting that took place at the Green Food Market in Thomasville on April 3, 2022. The shooting stems from an ongoing conflict between RNBA and “Realer Than Most” (also known as RTM), another hybrid criminal street gang based in Thomasville. Victims of the shooting include a pregnant woman and another innocent civilian, both of whom suffered non-fatal gunshot wounds. One of the suspects was also injured.

All five defendants have pleaded guilty to multiple counts of violating the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act and aggravated assault. One of the defendants, Jermaryoun Pressley, 24, of Thomasville, held a leadership position in RNBA. He pleaded guilty to additional gang charges specific to this crime and was given an additional five years to his total sentence.

“This was a senseless shooting that should never have happened, and there is no excuse for putting innocent lives in the line of fire,” Carr said. “With each new conviction, we send a strong message that gang activity of any kind will not be tolerated in our state, and those responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. We are proud to have secured justice for the victims in this case, and we will continue to fight to keep all Georgians safe.”

This case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorneys General Michael Tabarrok and Lee M. Stoy Jr. of the Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit, with assistance from Southern Judicial Circuit District Attorney Bradfield M. Shealy. It was investigated by the Thomasville Police Department, with assistance from the Boston Police Department and the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office.

“There is no place for criminal street gangs on the streets of any city, regardless of size,” said Boston Police Chief Charles J. Pettus. “These criminal street gangs like RNBA prey on those who see them as mentors and lead them down the wrong path! The Boston Police Department will continue to work with our local, regional, state and federal partners to find and prosecute those who choose to prey on others and create violence in our communities every day! I want to thank the Thomasville Police Department, the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office for their collective teamwork in bringing this case to a close.”

Carr’s Gang Prosecution Unit is based in Atlanta, with regional, satellite prosecutors and investigators in Albany, Augusta, Columbus, Macon and southeast Georgia. Since its inception in July 2022, the statewide Unit has secured 16 convictions in Dougherty County alone and more than 40 convictions overall.

Confessions of guilt and punishments

On July 18, 2024, two of the defendants in this case pleaded guilty and were sentenced the same day. The details of those pleas are included below.

Jermaryoun Pressley (aka “HotBoii” and “HottBoi RNBA”), 24, of Thomasville:

• 9 counts of violating the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 4 counts of aggravated assault
• 1 count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony
• 1 count of witness intimidation

Jermaryoun Pressley was sentenced to 20 years in prison, spending the first seven years in prison and the remainder under strict conditions.

Trandis Cartay Wright (aka “RNBA TP”), 22, of Boston:

• 4 counts of violating the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 4 counts of aggravated assault
• 1 count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony

Wright was sentenced to 15 years in prison, of which he would spend the first seven years in prison and the remainder under strict conditions.

On July 19, 2024, the three remaining defendants in this case pleaded guilty. They were sentenced on September 9, 2024. The details of those pleas are included below.

D’Anthony Genzell Booker (aka “Dant”), 23, of Boston:

• 4 counts of violating the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 4 counts of aggravated assault
• 1 count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony

Booker was sentenced to 15 years in prison, with the first seven years to be spent in prison and the remainder under strict conditions.

Jerry Michael Pressley, 25, from Boston:

• 4 counts of violating the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 4 counts of aggravated assault
• 1 count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony

Jerry Michael Pressley was sentenced to 15 years in prison, spending the first seven years in prison and the remainder under strict conditions.

Kemarion Tyler, 19, from Boston:

• 4 counts of violating the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 4 counts of aggravated assault
• 1 count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony

Tyler was sentenced to 15 years in prison, with the first seven years to be spent in prison and the remainder under strict conditions.

About the Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit

In 2022, Attorney General Chris Carr, with the support of Governor Brian Kemp and members of the General Assembly, created Georgia’s first statewide gang prosecution unit.

Since beginning its historic work on July 1, 2022, the Gang Prosecution Unit has obtained more than 40 convictions and charged nearly 140 individuals in Athens-Clarke, Barrow, Bryan, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Dougherty, Fulton, Gwinnett, Laurens, Muscogee, Richmond and Thomas counties.

The Gang Prosecution Unit is part of the Attorney General’s Public Prosecutions Division, which also includes Carr’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, its White Collar and Cyber ​​Crimes Unit, and its Organized Retail Crimes Unit.

The original source can be found here.