One Investigation Yields Over 30 Gang and Drug Arrests in Metro Atlanta

Metro Atlanta county, Spalding County, participated in a two-month long investigation also known as “Operation Say No More.” The investigation began after three different deaths in the county. Officers were attempting to find the source of different narcotics in the area. 

Both search and arrest warrants were executed late last week and resulted in thirty-two reported arrests. The charges include different drug offenses in Georgia as well as gang-related offenses. 

As an Atlanta Criminal Lawyer, I will outline what Georgia law considers gang activity.

Criminal Gang Activity in Georgia

By law, a gang in Georgia is defined as an organization, association, or group of three or more people associated in fact either formal or informal and engages in certain criminal activity.

Criminal Gang Activity in Georgia is defined by the Georgia Code as:

It is unlawful for…

1. A person employed or associated with a criminal street gang to conduct or participate in criminal gang activity through the commission of a crime.
2. Any person to commit an offense with the intent to obtain or earn membership or maintain or increase his or her status or position in a criminal street gang.
3. Any person to acquire or maintain, directly or indirectly, through criminal gang activity or proceeds derived from any interest in or control of any real or personal property of any nature, including money.
4. Any person who occupies a position of organizer, a supervisory position, or any other position of management or leadership with regard to a criminal street gang to engage in, directly or directly, or conspire to engage in criminal gang activity.
5. Any person to cause, encourage, solicit, recruit, or coerce another to become a member or associate of a criminal street gang, to participate in a criminal street gang, or to conduct or participate in criminal gang activity.
6. Any person to communicate, directly or indirectly, with another any threat of injury or damage to the person or property of the other person or of any associate or relative of the other person with the intent to deter such person from assisting a member or associate of a criminal street gang to withdraw from such criminal street gang.
7. Any person to communicate, directly or indirectly, with another any threat of injury or damage to the person or property of the other person or of any associate or relative of the other person with the intent to punish or retaliate against such person for refusing to or encouraging another to refuse to become or obtain the status of a member or associate of a criminal street gang.
8. Any person to communicate, directly or indirectly, with another any threat of injury or damage to the person or property of the other person or of any associate or relative of the other person with the intent to punish or retaliate against such person for refusing to or encouraging another to refuse to become or obtain the status of a member of associate of a criminal street gang.
9. Any person to communicate, directly or indirectly, with another any threat of injury or damage to the person or property of the other person or of any associate or relative of the other person with the intent to punish or retaliate against such person for providing statements or testimony against criminal street gangs or any criminal street gang member or associate.
10. Any person to communicate, directly or indirectly, with another any threat of injury or damage to the person or property of the other person or of any associate or relative of the other person with the intent to intimidate, deter, or prevent such person from communicating to any law enforcement or corrections officer, prosecuting attorney, or judge information relating to criminal street gangs, criminal street gang members or associates, or criminal gang activity. O.C.G.A. §16-15-4.

Criminal Gang Activity is classified as a felony in Georgia. The penalty if convicted is up to 20 years in prison. 

Practice Note

As an Atlanta Criminal Attorney, I see gang and drug related charges quite frequently. If you or a loved one has been arrested for committing a crime in Georgia, contact our offices today.