By Joe Johnson
Two purported members of an Athens street gang last week were formally charged in Clarke County Superior Court for drug and firearm offenses that stemmed from their arrests last year.
In an accusation filed Dec. 16 by a Western Judicial Circuit prosecutor, 20-year-old Xavier Mitchell of Smokey Road and 22-year-old Miquan Pittard of Bailey Street were each charged with violating the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
The accusation additionally charged Pittard with theft by receiving stolen property, for having in his possession stolen Glock 19 semiautomatic pistol.
The accusation indicates that both defendants are members of the Red Tape Gang.
According to Athens-Clarke County police, the two defendants were arrested the night of April 9, 2020 when an officer conducted a traffic stop on a Porche SUV being driven Pittard as it was entering Athens Gardens apartments off of Lexington Road.
The officer called for backup after seeing that Mitchell, a known gang member who was out on bond from a previous arrest for criminal street gang activity, was a passenger in the SUV. The vehicle was subsequently searched by officers who located two handguns, two vacuum-sealed plastic bags of marijuana, a digital scale, and an undisclosed amount of cash.
Mitchell and Pittard both bonded out of jail.
Their arraignments on the charges in the accusation that was filed last week had yet to be scheduled as of Tuesday.