17 indicted by DeKalb County Grand Jury on drug, weapons charges after multi-agency investigation

DECATUR, GA–A DeKalb County Grand Jury has indicted 17 alleged gang members on drug and weapons charges following a multi-agency investigation.  

Acting on a warrant that was part of an investigation out of Texas, authorities discovered firearms, an illegal psychedelic mushroom growing operation and seized a significant amount of other drugs from a house in Lithonia. 

The following suspects were indicted on March 25 in connection with the case: 

• Darin Katharail Harris, 20
• Nashan Levonta Hutton, 25
• Calvary Ray Jackson, 21
• Jakai Tyere Lewis, 18
• Amarion Jacoby Pitts, 21
• Joshua Demarquis Thomas, 19
• Naseem Umar Triplett, 21
• Caleb Nehemiah Dudley, 20
• Ashton Patrick George, 18
• Jameel Thomas Jones, 23
• Camryn Anaya Byrd, 24
• John Ben Frazier, 22
• Jerry Devaun Johnson, 25
• Fratavic Trevorious Goodwin, 20
• Donovan Logan, 19
• Tyrique Thomas, 20
• Daniel Kenneth Solomon, 23

All 17 defendants were indicted on four counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act; Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Machine Gun; and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. 

Defendant Nashan Hutton was also indicted on one additional charge of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act; and Possession of a Firearm by a First Offender Probationer.  The indictment against Defendant Daniel Solomon included one additional count of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. 

According to the preliminary investigation, on April 5, 2024, officers with the DeKalb County Police Department (DKPD); Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF); and the Cedar Park Police Department in Texas executed a search warrant at a home on Cleethropes Drive in Lithonia.  The warrant was part of an investigation that began after Cedar Park PD notified DKPD that several suspects in an armed robbery in their jurisdiction had connections to DeKalb County.  Officers with DKPD identified the suspects and located them at the home in Lithonia. 

While executing the search warrant, law enforcement officers recovered 20 firearms, including fully automatic long guns, as well as illegal switches used to turn handguns into automatic weapons and extended magazines.  Authorities also discovered an illegal psychedelic mushroom growing operation and seized a significant amount of other drugs from the house. 

The case will be assigned to a Superior Court Judge and set down for arraignment.  Once the defendants have been arraigned, then a trial date may be set.

On Jan. 14. 2025, a DeKalb County Grand Jury indicted Defendants Fratavic Goodwin, Jerry Johnson and Joshua Thomas on charges of Malice Murder, three counts of Felony Murder, Armed Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Criminal Attempt to Commit a Felony, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony in connection with the murder of Nicholas Grierson, 27, on April 4, 2024. 

Both cases are being prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Office’s Homicide and Gangs Unit.