October Armed Robbery of North Georgia McDonald’s Results in 18 Felony Charges

Kaleem Tariq-Madyun has been indicted on 18 different felony charges in Forsyth County including armed robbery in Georgia and false imprisonment in Georgia.

Last October, Tariq-Madyun was arrested for forcing employees at a McDonalds into the walk-in refrigerator as he robbed the restaurant. As of right now, he is in the Forsyth County Jail.

Out of all the charges, Tariq-Madyun is facing seven different counts of aggravated assault, and as a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will outline the law behind that offense in today's post.

Aggravated Assault in Georgia

To properly understand aggravated assault, it is necessary to look at the law behind assault in Georgia. The Georgia Code defines assault in O.C.G.A. §16-5-20 as:

A person commits the offense of simple assault when he or she either (1) attempts to commit a violent injury to the person of another; or (2) commits an act which places another in reasonable apprehension of immediately receiving a violent injury.

A conviction for assault in Georgia will be treated as a misdemeanor. The penalty can include a period of confinement of up to one year and up to $1,000 in fines.

Aggravated Assault in Georgia is defined by the Georgia Code in O.C.G.A. § 16-5-21 as:

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

To be found guilty of aggravated assault, the prosecution must show that the suspect is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This means that there must be a demonstration of violence coupled with an apparent present ability to inflict an injury that causes a person to fear that they will receive an immediate violent injury.

Unlike assault, aggravated assault is classified as a felony offense in Georgia. The penalty for an aggravated assault conviction is a prison term between one to twenty years.

Practice Note

If you or a loved one has been arrested, you need to contact our offices today. A Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney can help you with your case and explore all of your options.

Georgia Criminal Punishments are serious, and your case will not defend itself. Call us today.