A Spalding County jury took less than fifteen minutes last week to convict Jerico Bernard Williams of one count of armed robbery, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of false imprisonment and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Williams drew a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 20 years.
The Honorable Ben D. Coker of the Superior Court in neighboring Spalding County sentenced the defendant to the life sentence in prison on Wednesday, August 21, 2024. The State was represented by Senior Assistant District Attorney Audrey D. Holliday and Assistant District Attorney John McAbee. The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case, aided by the Locust Grove Police Department.
The State presented evidence that on the evening of June 4, 2023, Jerico Williams, Tierra Davis, Demarcus Timmons and an uncaptured fourth suspect went to the Dollar General on Jackson Road in Griffin to commit an Armed Robbery.
Davis drove the getaway vehicle and Timmons served as the lookout holding open the front door while the uncaptured suspect grabbed the female cashier around her chest, holding her and forcing her to open the cash register.
Jerico Williams pointed a gun at a mother and her children that were checking out and then proceeded to hold the victim at gunpoint until his friend had gotten the money from the register.
The entire robbery was caught on store surveillance video. In addition, a concerned citizen who witnessed the three suspects on the sidewalk outside, wearing hoodies pulled tight around their face while entering the store, and then fleeing to the getaway vehicle was key to solving this case as she was able to report the suspect vehicle to 911.
The suspects were stopped minutes later by Locust Grove Police. One suspect fled the scene and has yet to be captured. All the suspects are from Fulton and DeKalb Counties.
Jerico Bernard Williams had previously been convicted of hijacking, two counts of armed robbery, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in Fulton County in October 2018 where he was sentenced to serve seven years in prison and six of probation to follow his incarceration.
ADA Holliday stated, “the citizens of Spalding County should feel safe when they go to their local store, with their children, to shop. Employees of every store in this county should feel safe making an honest living. This conviction should serve as a warning to criminals from other counties that when you come to Spalding County and the Griffin Judicial Circuit to commit a violent crime against innocent citizens, you will be sentenced more harshly than in other jurisdictions. My investigator, Misty Gresham, my victim advocate, Maricarmen Dobson, my assistant, Ada Rivera and our law enforcement partners worked tirelessly on this case to reach this conviction, and I cannot be more proud of them.”
“We will not tolerate violent crime against innocent citizens in Spalding County or the Griffin Judicial Circuit. My team and our law enforcement partners in this Circuit are dedicated to eradicating violent criminals from our communities and will continue to fight for justice for all victims of violent crime,” District Attorney Marie Broder said of the crime.
Way to go!
This is how it’s done, put away these thugs so they never see the light of day the rest of their lives and cannot do further harm to honest citizens.
Thank you Judge, jury, DA’s and police…let this be posted so that “All the suspects …from Fulton and DeKalb Counties” get the message.