By Joe Johnson
An Oglethorpe County teen on Thursday was sentenced to a diversion center and probation for his role in a home invasion armed robbery in Athens over two years ago.
Maryon Terrell Davis, 19, of Crawford entered into a plea bargain in which he was handed an eight-year sentence, the first six to nine months of which to be served at the Athens-Clarke County Diversion Center, and the balance on probation, according to Superior Court records.
Davis was 17 at the time he and two co-defendants were each indicted for armed robbery and two counts of aggravated assault for a June 5, 2019 home invasion at the Fourth Street Village apartment complex in which a male resident was robbed at gunpoint of a bank card, cellphone, a key fob and a wallet, according to the indictment, which indicated that the victim was pistol-whipped during the incident.
The victim had told Athens-Clarke County police that a single, masked gunman had forced his way into his residence, but police said an investigation determined that the three defendants named in the indictment had been involved.
The co-defendants are Joseph McElhannon, 21, of Lexington and Darien Montrell Appling, 20 of Northside Drive in Athens, whose cases remained pending as of Friday.
Davis struck his plea bargain as an Oct. 21 trial date approached.
In return for his pleading guilty to a reduced charge of robbery by intimidation, the Western Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office dismissed the two counts of aggravated assault, according to the Memorandum of Plea Agreement.
After completing his term at the diversion center, Davis must wear an ankle monitor during his first six months on probation and obtain a GED, according to court records.