Teen is first to be convicted in Athens under new drive-by shooting law

By Joe Johnson

Jabarris Lamar Brown Jr. has become the first person in Athens to be convicted and sentenced under the new state drive-by shooting law,

In addition to finding him guilty of that crime, a jury found the 19-year-old guilty of five counts of aggravated assault and one count of making terroristic threats,

The drive-by shooting law went into effect in July 2025 and the penalty for conviction is a minimum prison sentence of five years and a maximum of 20.

Superior Court Judge Eric Norris sentenced Brown to 15 years in prison and 20 years on probation.

Brown and co-defendant Santonieyo Eugene Cooper had been indicted for a shooting that occurred in November 2024 in which up to 20 rounds were fired from a moving vehicle at an occupied home on Nellie B Avenue. Some of the rounds narrowly missed a woman, striking a wall next to where she stood.

Brown was additionally charged with making terroristic threats for a phone call in which he threatened to murder the victim by saying “I will have those younguns terrify y’all every chance they get,” and “I will put a whole 30-round clip in (you).”

Cooper also stood trial but was acquitted by the jury.

Brown has another court case pending from an incident that occurred at the county jail soon after the trial.

According to an indictment filed earlier this month, Brown threw urine on a corrections officer through his cell door flap, and threatened to kill another officer.

He is charged in the indictment with making terroristic threats, obstruction of a law enforcement officer, and simple battery.

An arraignment is scheduled for May 29th.