Two men convicted of robbing two northeast Fayette kids at gunpoint Aug. 3 were sentenced to prison today by Fayette County Superior Court Judge Tommy R. Hankinson.
The judge’s ruling, however, fell significantly short of the punishment sought by the Fayette County District Attorney’s Office.
Thaddeus Deonte Fowler, 20, of Atlanta was sentenced to 40 years in prison while gunman Alexander Floyd Jr., 20, of Union City was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Both men must also serve probation upon completion of their prison sentences.
Prosecutors had sought two consecutive life sentences for both defendants plus additional prison time. Hankinson, however, avoided sentencing either man to even one term of life in prison.
On Dec. 2 a Fayette County jury found both men guilty of two counts of armed robbery, two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of cruelty to children in the first degree, one count of kidnapping and one count of burglary. Floyd was also convicted of a second count of kidnapping and the jury found Fowler guilty of a lesser-included charge of false imprisonment in lieu of the initial felony kidnapping charge.
Both victims testified that they feared for their lives during the incident, and it was also noted that the 12-year-old boy was forced to load up some of the valuable items in his room into a shopping bag for the burglars’ benefit.
Fowler was unarmed during the attack, but he got a longer prison sentence than Floyd who was identified as the gunman by both juvenile victims. Hankinson said part of the reason for that disparity was the fact that without Fowler’s help, Floyd would not have targeted the victims’ home.
Hankinson also noted that Fowler had several opportunities during the incident when he was away from Floyd, during which he could have at least used his cellphone to summon help for his girlfriend and her brother.
Although several family members for both men apologized to the victims and their family, neither defendant offered an apology for their actions. Fowler maintained his innocence during the sentencing hearing, testifying that he was unaware his “so-called friend” planned to rob the home.
The mother of the two victims testified that her children still “don’t feel safe to go about our daily business” following the incident. She was not at home when the robbery occurred because she was at work.
