Analysis of the Laws Behind Aggravated Assault and Armed Robbery After Man Allegedly Removes Ankle Monitor and Flees Georgia County While Out on Bond

Israel Bland, a man accused of getting initiating a shootout with police during an armed robbery in 2016, has allegedly removed his ankle monitor and fleeing from Gwinnett County after being released on bond. 

According to police reports, Bland and three other alleged accomplices attempted to rob a home in Lawrenceville which led to a police shootout. Bland is facing the following charges:

• Aggravated Assault in Georgia
• Armed Robbery in Georgia
• Burglary in Georgia
• False Imprisonment in Georgia
• And Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony in Georgia

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will focus on the crimes of aggravated assault and armed robbery as these two criminal offenses tend to go hand in hand.

Aggravated Assault

Whenever I explain aggravated assault and the law behind it, I start with first looking to the Georgia Code's definition of assault in Georgia:

“When a person attempts to commit a violent injury to the person of another or commits an act which places another in reasonable apprehension of immediately receiving a violent injury.” O.C.G.A. §16-5-20. 

The Georgia Code states that the offense is heightened to Georgia aggravated assault:

“When a person assaults with intent to murder, to rape, or to rob; with a deadly weapon or with any object, device, or instrument which, when used offensively against a person, is likely to or actually does result in serious bodily injury; with any object, device, or instrument which, when used offensively against a person, is likely to or actually does result in strangulation; or without legal justification by discharging a firearm from within a motor vehicle toward a person or persons.” O.C.G.A. § 16-5-21. 

Aggravated assault is considered a felony. An aggravated assault conviction can include the penalty of a prison sentence of one to twenty years. 

Armed Robbery

Georgia armed robbery is defined by the Georgia Code as:

“When a person with intent to commit theft, he or she takes property of another from the person or the immediate presence of another by use of an offensive weapon, or any replica, article, or device have the appearance of such weapon.” O.C.G.A. §16-8-41.

Armed robbery is considered a serious violent felony. An armed robbery conviction can include the penalty of a minimum of ten years in prison to life in prison or even the death penalty. 

Armed robbery is different from other crimes because the ten years cannot be through probation - it is mandatory imprisonment for ten years if convicted.

Practice Note

Bland is facing a slew of felony charges right now on top of the crimes he will be charged with depending on the circumstances discovered by allegedly removing his ankle monitor and fleeing Gwinnett County. 

However, there are Georgia Criminal Defenses that can be utilized in his case, and he will need the help of a Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney.