Georgia Man Sentenced to Over 100 Years in Prison

According to reports out of Jackson County, Jonathan Allen was sentenced to 115 years in prison for an incident that occurred in summer 2018.

Allen was involved in a three-hour standoff with deputies and SWAT teams after he shot his mother in the back three times. Police arrived on the scene, and Allen continued to shoot at police. In order to arrest Allen, authorities resulted to shooting a flash bang device into the house and charging in to detain him.

Allen pleaded guilty to multiple counts of the following charges:

• Aggravated Assault in Georgia
• Cruelty to Children in Georgia
• Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony in Georgia

He also pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer.

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will outline the offense of aggravated assault on a peace officer as it is outlined by Georgia Law.

Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer in Georgia

Aggravated assault on a peace officer in Georgia is defined by the Georgia Code in the same statute as aggravated assault - O.C.G.A. §16-5-21 as:

A person commits the offense of aggravated assault when he or she assaults:

(1) With intent to murder, to rape, or to rob;

(2) 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; or

(3) Without legal justification by discharging a firearm from within a motor vehicle toward a person or persons.

A person who knowingly commits the offense of aggravated assault upon a peace officer while the peace officer is engaged in, or on account of the performance of, his or her official duties shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for not less than five nor more than 20 years.

As you can see from the law, the potential penalty for aggravated assault on a peace officer is classified as a felony offense. Georgia Felony Punishments are not to be taken lightly. If convicted of aggravated assault on a peace officer, a person is facing a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of twenty years in prison.

Practice Note

Every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. In the story above, the defendant pleaded guilty to the offenses that he had been accused of committing. However, not everyone who is accused of committing a crime is guilty of committing a crime.

If you or a loved one has been accused of committing a criminal offense, contact a Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney now.