CLASSIC CITY NEWS

By Joe Johnson Three members of the street gang known as Sex, Murder, Money have been indicted for an armed robbery earlier this year at a westside Athens apartment complex. Bobby Skii Coleman, 19, Tyshawn Matthew Chatman, 19, and Jaden Orion Wise, 18, were each charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault, and criminal street gang activity, according to the indictment filed in Superior Court on Tuesday, Chatman was additionally charged with possession of a firearm during t

By Joe Johnson Kevin Adonay Castro, a ranking member of the 18th Street gang in Athens, has been sentenced to 10 straight years in prison after he pleaded guilty to trafficking methamphetamine. The plea was made in Superior Court last month as part of a negotiated agreement with the District Attorney’s Office. In return for pleading guilty to the trafficking charge and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, the DA’s office dismissed felony po

Elder (r) and Smith The following was released today by the Georgia Attorney General’s Office Defendants sentenced to life in prison ATHENS, GA – Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that Shamon Elder, Jr. and Jaquavious Smith have been convicted for the murder of 19-year-old Brynarius Smith, who was shot and killed on April 16, 2022, while sitting on his front porch at Nellie B. Homes in Athens. Both men were found guilty by an Athens-Clarke County Jury on May

By Joe Johnson A Superior Court jury in Athens has convicted a pair of street gang members for the murder of a rival in the Nellie B community four years ago. Brynarius Smith, 19, was shot to death by a trio of gunmen in April 2022 while sitting in front of his home on Cone Drive. Police identified three suspects, two of whom were arrested in April 2024: Ja ‘Quavious Smith and Shamon Elder, both affiliated with the Red Tape Gang. The victim had belonged to a rival gang. They

Jewell By Joe Johnson On the night he fell to his death from an apartment building last year Antonio Jewelll had been attending a gambling party where members of an Athens street gang tried to rob him and other attendees. After the gangsters pistol-whipped him, the 22-year-old victim either fell or jumped to his death from a balcony trying to escape his attackers. Details of that tragic night are found in recently filled search warrants for gang member social media accounts

Thomas By Joe Johnson A member of an Athens street gang has been arrested for an armed robbery last year at University Oaks apartments. Kasten Jamaal Thomas, 24, of Freeman Drive, had been indicted for the robbery in December along with his alleged accomplice, 21-year-old Jordan Xavier Gresham, who was already in custody. Thomas eluded capture until he was arrested io on March 13th. Gresham Although the armed robbery was not indicted as a gang-related crime, both defendants

By Joe Johnson The victim of an alleged murder last year at an Athens apartment complex fell to his death while escaping from gang members who were trying to rob him, according a recent court filing, On the night of November 6th, members of the Sex Money Murder street gang were attempting to steal cash at gunpoint from Antonio Jewell at The View at NoDa apartment complex, according to an indictment filed last Tuesday in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court. The 22-year-old vi

Antonio Jewell By Joe Johnson The victim of an alleged murder last year at an Athens apartment complex fell to his death while escaping from gang members who were trying to rob him, according a recent court filing, On the night of November 6th, members of the Sex Money Murder street gang were attempting to steal cash at gunpoint from Antonio Jewell at The View at NoDa apartment complex, according to an indictment filed last Tuesday in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court. The

Kyron Zarco’-Smith Released today by the Georgia Attorney General’ Office ATHENS, GA – Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that Desmontrez Mathis, (aka “Ten”), 24, of Athens, has been sentenced to life with the possibility of parole, plus 30 years in prison, followed by 10 years of strict probation, for the murder of three-year-old Kyron Santino Zarco Smith. A Western Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant on Feb. 6, 2026. ORIGINAL RELEA

Kyron Zarco Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr’s office has released the following: ATHENS, GA – Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that Desmontrez Mathis, Jayden Brown, and Dakious Echols have been convicted for the murder of three-year-old Kyron Santino Zarco Smith, who was shot and killed in a drive-by in Athens on March 8, 2024. Smith was watching tv on his couch at Hallmark Mobile Home Park when he sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the chest. A nine-ye

By Joe Johnson A 15-year-old student was recently arrested on gang-related charges at Cedar Shoals High School. Police said they went to the school on December 10th to serve warrants on Jamarion Shemeir Gutierrez that charged him aggravated assault, false imprisonment, terroristic threats, and criminal street gang activity. According to the warrants, the charges stem an incident last month in which gang members forced an 18-year-old male victim to strip naked at gunpoint. Tho

By Joe Johnson A pair of Athens street gang members have been indicted for an armed robbery at the University Oaks apartment complex last summer. Kasten Jammal Thomas, 24, and Jordan Xavier Gresham, 22, were each charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to the indictment filed Tuesday in Superior Court. Gresham was additionally charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Although th

By Joe Johnson The Ahens-Clarke County Police Department is investigating the aggravated assault of a 15-year-old boy by armed street gang members who made him strip naked ACCPD said the gangsters were juveniles, though one adult was arrested. Ry’ Male McGuire, 18, of Coleridge Court, was charged with aggravated assault, false imprisonment, terroristic threats and acts, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and participation in criminal street gang activi

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has announced that the state's Gang Prosecution Unit has secured convictions against 16 members of the 1-8 Trey Gangster Bloods after a sweeping, multi-year investigation that prosecutors say unraveled violent crimes, drug trafficking operations, and gang recruitment efforts coordinated from both inside and outside state prisons. Among those convicted in Barrow County Superior Court is Jamar Ramsay, identified by prosecutors as statewide l

Antonio Jewell By Joe Johnson The police department on Wednesday announced that three more arrests have been made for the November 6th murder of Antonio Jewell, bringing to six the number of gangsters charged for the death of the 22-year-old Clarke Central High School graduate. Police say that Jewell was killed during an armed robbery by members of the Sex Money Murder street gang at The View at NoDa apartment complex. On Wednesday police announced the arrests of Dermetris A

By Joe Johnson Athens police recently learned that an 18-year-old was living in fear of a local street gang because his father confiscated drugs that he was supposed to sell for them. Officers responded to the teen’s home to investigate a domestic disturbance when they learned what was making him so angry and upset. “He stated that he didn’t know what to do as he had become involved in drug usage and the selling of drugs,” the police report says. “He stated he was involved

The View at NoDa By Joe Johnson When The View at NoDa apartment complex opened north of downtown in May it took the place of a crime-ridden complex known as Bethel Midtown Village. The main reason for the high crime was because of gang activity in the complex that the Bloods street gang claimed as their territory. When 22-year-old Antino Jewell was killed at the new apartment complex on November 6th police said that he was fatally shot during a gang-related armed robbery. On

Antonio Jewell By Joe Johnson Antonio Jewell was murdered last week during what police said was a gang-related armed robbery. The 22-year-old graduate of Clarke Central High School was found dead Friday night on a sidewalk at the rear of The View at NODA apartment complex north of downtown Athens. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department on Monday announced that three gang members had been arrested and charged with murder. They were identified as Samtavious Keyshun Clark, 2

Antonio Jewell By Joe Johnson Antonio Jewell was murdered last week during what police said was a gang-related armed robbery. The 22-year-old graduate of Clarke Central High School was found dead Friday night on a sidewalk at the rear of The View at NODA apartment complex north of downtown Athens. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department on Monday announced that three gang members had been arrested and charged with murder. They were identified as Samtavious Keyshun Clark, 2

By Joe Johnson An assistant state attorney general has notified the court of his intention to seek a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for a gang member who is accused of murder. Zyquavious O’Neal Thomas was 16 when he allegedly murdered 20-year-old Cameron Manago at Rolling Ridge Apartments in May 2024. Now 18, Thomas is charged in a 14-count indictment with crimes that include murder, armed robbery, and participation in the street gang known as Se