NE Atlanta News

Four individuals, Nicholas Poole, James Daniels, Bryce Dowell, and Thomas White, have been sentenced to prison for their participation in a gang-related drive-by shooting in Marietta in Jun. 2021. This conviction is a result of the combined efforts of Cobb County Police Department, Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, and Atlanta Police Department that spotlight the significance of interagency collaboration in curbing gang-related violence in Georgia.

"Time and again, these defendants put lives at risk by committing and directing repeated acts of violence across our state. Thanks to our strong partnerships with local law enforcement and the Georgia Department of Corrections, we were able to secure their convictions and put a stop to these senseless shootings", said Attorney General Chris Carr.

As per the Georgia Attorney General's press release, Nicholas Poole, James Daniels, and Bryce Dowell each received a 25-year sentence after pleading guilty in Cobb County Superior Court. The first 13 years are to be served in prison followed by probation. Their charges stem from involvement in the aforementioned gang-related drive-by shooting. Concurrently serving sentences for separate charges in Cobb and Douglas County is Thomas White who pleaded guilty in Sept. 2023 receiving a 15-year sentence with the first four years to be served behind bars.

The press release also revealed details about the drive-by shooting which happened on Jun. 25, 2021 leading investigators to shell casings and damaged apartments in Marietta. Surveillance footage linked Daniels, Dowell, and Poole to this incident subsequently leading to their arrest later that month. Multiple indictments ensued across Cobb, Fulton, and Paulding Counties while Thomas Williams remains wanted for his connection with this incident.

Georgia’s first-ever Gang Prosecution Unit was established Jul. 2022 as detailed by the Georgia Attorney General's press release which also credits Governor Brian Kemp along with the General Assembly for its support. The unit has already indicted 89 alleged gang members across various counties including Athens-Clarke, Clayton, and Cobb. The Attorney General's Prosecution Division houses this unit in Atlanta with additional satellite offices located in Albany and Augusta.

In the same press release, Cobb County Police Chief Stuart VanHoozer shared his gratitude for the dedicated law enforcement officials saying: "I am exceptionally proud and thankful for the dedication of the women and men in law enforcement across our region. This case demonstrated the depth of concern these women and men share for the well-being and safety of our community members – people they may not know personally, yet still take great interest and personal risk in protecting."