Five Thomas County street gang members convicted, sentenced

ATLANTA — Attorney General Chris Carr announced that five members of RNBA, a hybrid criminal street gang based in Boston, Georgia, have been convicted and sentenced to prison for their involvement in a shooting that occurred at the Green Food Market in Thomasville on April 3, 2022.

The shooting stems from an ongoing conflict between RNBA and “Realer Than Most” (aka RTM), another hybrid criminal street gang based in Thomasville. Victims of the shooting include a pregnant female and another innocent civilian, both of whom sustained non-fatal gunshot wounds. One of the defendants also was injured.

All five defendants have pleaded guilty to multiple counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act and Aggravated Assault. One of the defendants, Jermaryoun Pressley, 24, of Thomasville, held a leadership position in RNBA. He pleaded guilty to additional gang charges specific to this crime and received five more years on his overall sentence.

“This was a senseless shooting that should never have occurred, and there is no excuse for putting innocent lives in the line of fire,” Carr said. “With each new conviction, we’re sending a strong message that gang activity of any kind will not be tolerated in our state, and those responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. We’re proud to have secured justice for the victims in this case, and we will continue fighting to keep all Georgians safe.”

This case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorneys General Michael Tabarrok and Lee M. Stoy Jr. of the Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit, with assistance from Southern Judicial Circuit District Attorney Bradfield M. Shealy. It was investigated by the Thomasville Police Department, with assistance from the Boston Police Department and the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office.

“There is no place for criminal street gang activity on the streets of any city, regardless of the size,” Boston Police Chief Charles J. Pettus said. “These criminal street gangs such as RNBA prey on those who see them as a mentor and lead them down the wrong path. The Boston Police Department will continue to work with our local, regional, state, and federal partners to seek out and prosecute those who choose to prey upon others and create violence in our communities every day.

“I wish to thank the Thomasville Police Department, Thomas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Attorney Generals Gang Prosecution Office for the collaborative teamwork to bring this case to closure.”

The Gang Prosecution Unit is based in Atlanta, with regional, satellite prosecutors and investigators in Albany, Augusta, Columbus, Macon and southeast Georgia. Since its creation in July 2022, this statewide unit has secured 16 convictions in Dougherty County alone and more than 40 convictions overall.

On July 18, two of the defendants in this case pleaded guilty and were sentenced the same day. The details of those pleas included:

Jermaryoun Pressley, aka “HotBoii” and “HottBoi RNBA”, 24, of Thomasville:

9 counts of violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

4 counts of aggravated assault

1 count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony

1 count of intimidating a witness

Jermaryoun Pressley was sentenced to 20 years, with the first seven years to be served in prison and the remainder on strict probation.

Trandis Cartay Wright, aka “RNBA TP”, 22, of Boston:

4 counts of violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

4 counts of aggravated assault

1 count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony

Wright was sentenced to 15 years, with the first seven years to be served in prison and the remainder on strict probation.

On July 19, the three remaining defendants in this case pleaded guilty. They were sentenced on Sept. 9. The details of those pleas include:

D’Anthony Genzell Booker, aka “Dant”, 23, of Boston:

4 counts of violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

4 counts of aggravated assault

1 count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony

Booker was sentenced to 15 years, with the first seven years to be served in prison and the remainder on strict probation.

Jerry Michael Pressley, 25, of Boston:

4 counts of violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

4 counts of aggravated assault

1 count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony

Pressley was sentenced to 15 years, with the first seven years to be served in prison and the remainder on strict probation.

Kemarion Tyler, 19, of Boston:

4 counts of violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

4 counts of aggravated assault

1 count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony

Tyler was sentenced to 15 years, with the first seven years to be served in prison and the remainder on strict probation.

Since it began its historic work on July 1, 2022, the Gang Prosecution Unit has secured more than 40 convictions and indicted nearly 140 individuals in Athens-Clarke, Barrow, Bryan, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Dougherty, Fulton, Gwinnett, Laurens, Muscogee, Richmond and Thomas counties.

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