Street Criminal: Shannon Brock
During the early morning hours of August 31st, MPSA Patrol responded to a 911 call about an apparently unconscious person in the rear of a property in the 700 block of Piedmont, and found a white male lying face down near a dumpster. A wallet lying nearby contained not only the subject’s identification, parolee Shannon Dewayne Brock, but also a debit card belonging to another individual. When the officer addressed the subject, Brock had trouble standing and believed he was at his home (given to the officer and showing on parole board records as being in the 2000 block of Peachtree).
He further told the responding officer that he had just gotten out of prison [on 8/24], that he did not want to go back, and that he therefore would not cooperate with the officer’s request to present identification. Brock then told the officer a “homeless” individual had given him the debit card to hold as reimbursement for buying him crack. When the officer explained to the subject that he was being charged with Financial Transaction Card Theft, he responded that the card was declined when he attempted to use it to buy cigarettes at a nearby convenience store, so the police should let him go.
Brock was promptly transported and booked into the Fulton County jail on charges of Financial Transaction Card Theft. A conviction for this crime renders the offender liable to three years incarceration and a $5,000 fine. The results of our research show that he wasted no time getting into a life of crack and street crime upon release from prison. Public records show his numerous convictions occurring in Hall County for a smorgasbord of offenses including burglary, forgery, and drug offenses. He he was released on parole just last week (August 24th). His assigned parole office has been notified with the expectation that they will promptly revoke this privilege for him (his full sentence still runs until May of next year).
YOB: 1981 | HEIGHT: 5’11” | WEIGHT: 220
EYE COLOR: BLUE | HAIR COLOR: RED&AUBURN
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- GA Dept of Corrections
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- Fulton County Sheriff’s Dept
Street Criminal: Brandon Burchfield
MPSA Field Photo
Brandon Lloyd Burchfield spends alot of time among the drug culture at Ponce & Boulevard when not in jail. We frequently hear reports that he peddles stolen goods among street people and residents of places like Bedford Pine and the Ponce Hotel. He exemplifies a chronic offender that drives the need for patrol programs like the MPSA.
On 5/17/2011 Burchfield was arrested after breaking into a dozen cars at the Futo’s towing yard. He was released from jail four days later. Exactly a week after being released, he was arrested again for using stolen credit cards, theft by receiving, and criminal trespassing for illegal purpose. He remained in the jail for a month. Two days after being released on those charges, he racks in up eight more charges that included entering auto, financial transaction card fraud, and theft of mislaid property.
His case came up recently before Judge Walter Lovett, who sentenced him to ten years imprisonment with six months to serve. Judge Lovett further commuted his sentence to time served conditioned upon entry into a drug rehab program. He was released on 8/03/2011, presumably to transfer into drug rehab. On 8/25/2011 he was arrested again in a stolen car, and charged with driving with a suspended license, theft by receiving (auto), and two counts of financial transaction card theft. This guy is clearly out of control, as he has been arrested and booked six times this year alone.
Cases such as those generated by Burchfield call into question the effectiveness of drug courts. With rampant recidivism in Fulton County the community is left to wonder whether drug courts are seriously intended, or if they are simply a “get out of jail free” card of sorts. Where do these kinds of outcomes leave the greater community, and how can neighborhoods like ours be adequately protected from these chronic offenders?
Mugshots courtesy of Fulton County Sheriff’s Department
Another Criminal Effectively Gets Away with Burglary
On the morning of June 8th, 2011, Dane Barry Coleman was apprehended by police while burglarizing a residence in our neighborhood. This particular defendant first came under our radar in January of 2010, when he was arrested in the neighborhood for vehicle theft and other felony charges. In the period leading up to the June 8th arrest he had been observed frequently in various states of intoxication, and interacting heavily with the street drug culture surrounding Ponce & Boulevard. His suspicious activity in the neighborhood generated several 911 calls in the weeks leading up to his latest burglary event.
Coleman has demonstrated a very intensive pattern of serious criminal activity that highlights the necessity of a patrol and public safety program like ours. In researching this individual, we have found by way of public records that he has an extensive criminal history, with several rather short periods of incarceration arising from convictions in multiple jurisdictions. We also understand that his official criminal history prints out to 37 pages. The kinds of sentences given Mr. Coleman to date have clearly failed to reach him, and after each conviction he resumes a criminal way of life.
His case ended in a negotiated plea of five years probation conditioned upon drug rehab. Even though his official criminal history prints out to nearly 40 pages, he will not face another period of incarceration. Fulton Superior Court Judge Doris Downs presided over the case, and doled out this sentence to drug court rather than prison time, despite his extensive criminal history and several previous periods of incarceration. Judge Downs also oversees the drug court program in Fulton County. According to the Fulton County Superior Court’s website, approximately 200 drug-addicted criminal defendants participate in this “highly structured treatment program lasting from 12 to 18 months.” and further states that she reviews the individual progress of the participants.
Coleman has clearly shown over and over by way of his criminal history that, when left to his own devices, he will pro-actively pursue a criminal way of life in places like our neighborhood. Cases like this lead us to seriously question the effectiveness of the drug court program. Considering Coleman’s years of criminal history, how can we not expect a negative and detrimental effect upon the safety and quality of life in our community?
Creative Loafing: Vanquish, other half of dreaded Gidewon club, opened on Saturday
MORE STREET ROBBERIES!
Two robberies occurred within a 2-3 hour period, and seem unrelated. According to police reports:
Early hours of 8/24/2011: Police responded to a pedestrian robbery call at 1000 Piedmont Avenue where they were met by three victims. According to each victim they were robbed by a black male in his mid twenties wearing a black shirt, black shorts. The suspect also has an Afro-hairstyle and a beard with a dark in color semi automatic weapon. According to the victims they were sitting at caribou coffee when a unknown black male proceeded to put his shirt over his mouth and garnish a weapon and stated “wallets on the table”. However, for some reason the victims believed this was a joke therefore, they did not immediately oblige the request. Next the suspect took his weapon and slapped it over the head of one of the victims, leaving an inch cut on the top of his head. After the suspect attacked the first victim each victim immediately stood up and took off running north on Piedmont causing them to leave their property which was gone upon their return. Only one victim sustained injures during this incident, but was treated and released on the scene by Grady paramedics. Police reviewed Midtown Blue cameras, but found no footage of the suspect. APD immediately put out an lookout.
Later on the same date, at 3:11am, Atlanta Police responded to a Pedestrian Robbery Call at 710 Peachtree Street near the Solace On Peachtree residence. The victim stated he was robbed at gun point while walking West on 3rd Street. He stated he had just left his friend at Peachtree Street heading to his vehicle parked on Cypress Street when a black vehicle, most likely a Toyota Camry (no tag information) pulled up beside him. Three black males approached him from the vehicle, one with a black handgun pointed towards his face while the other two males went through his side pockets taking what he had in his pockets. The victim described the male holding the gun as a brown skinned, about 5’8, shoulder length dreads which looked almost like he had them up in a ponytail. He also had little facial hair and a goatee. The victim was unable to describe the two remaining males because he was unable to move his head to look. The suspects robbed him of his wallet with a credit card, Macy’s card and driver’s license, $90 in cash, car keys and Evo cell phone. The victim sustained no injuries due to the incident. Police checked the area for surveillance cameras but found none in the area of the incident.
Sponsors
Many thanks for our community sponsors! While the majority of our funding comes from residents and small businesses, a significant portion of our neighborhood patrol funds comes from the following sponsors:
