3 alleged gang members arrested in Atlanta summer crime crackdown
ATLANTA - Georgia prosecutors secured guilty pleas and sentences for three men tied to a Los Angeles-based street gang following an extensive multi-agency investigation in Atlanta.
What we know:
Three men associated with the Rollin 60s Neighborhood Crips pleaded guilty to charges involving illegal street gang activity and selling illegal drugs.
The Georgia Attorney General’s Office said prosecutors secured convictions against 32-year-old Chiquille Bell, 37-year-old Marcus Thornton, and 36-year-old Contrellis Brooks.
Investigators identified Bell as the ringleader of the drug distribution network.
During the operation, law enforcement seized eight firearms, 326 grams of oxycodone, 122 grams of amphetamines, 53.5 pounds of marijuana, over 3 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms, and more than 12 grams of Xanax.
Dig deeper:
Brooks entered his guilty plea on Oct. 2, 2024, to 14 total counts, including gang violations, illegal firearm possession and drug trafficking.
A Fulton County Superior Court judge sentenced Brooks to 35 years, ordering him to serve the first seven years in prison with the remainder on strict probation.
Thornton pleaded guilty on March 27 to three counts of gang violations, two firearm charges, and two drug counts.
A judge sentenced him to 15 years of strict probation.
Bell entered a guilty plea Sept. 15 to gang and drug distribution charges, receiving a 25-year sentence with the first eight years in prison followed by strict probation.
The backstory:
The convictions stem from Operation Heatwave, an annual summer initiative led by the Atlanta Police Department to curb violent crime and gang activity across high-risk areas.
In 2023, the 16-week effort involved seven multi-agency operations that produced 96 total arrests, caught 41 suspected gang members, and seized 62 firearms.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr established the state's Gang Prosecution Unit on July 1, 2022, with support from Gov. Brian Kemp.
Since its inception, the statewide unit has secured 145 convictions across 19 Georgia counties, including Fulton County.
What we don't know:
Officials have not released information detailing the specific street locations where officers seized the eight firearms and illegal drugs.
Prosecutors have also not disclosed whether additional associates of the local Rollin 60s Neighborhood Crips network face open charges related to the 2023 operation.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Georgia Attorney General's Office that released the details.