Justice: Wood credits multiple agencies for ‘justice served’
When you do the crime in Fannin County, you’re going to get caught, indicted, convicted, and go to prison.
That’s the message District Attorney Frank Wood III hopes criminals across the southeastern United States get when they hear about Marion Atrion Johnson.
Johnson, 36, of Bessemer, Alabama, was sentenced to 30 years with 15 to serve for his part in the burglary of Southern Drug Company in Blue Ridge March 16, 2023.
He had initially eluded law enforcement authorities, but was later identified, found in Alabama, and brought back to Fannin County. He was sentenced in Superior Court Thursday, July 25.
Wood, who serves the three counties of the Appalachian Judicial Circuit, recounted the work of the four agencies involved that led to Johnson’s arrest.
The chain of events began at 5:08 a.m. that Thursday in March when the Fannin County 911 Center alerted law enforcement to a burglary of the locally owned drug store on East First Street.
According to The News Observer article at the time, Blue Ridge police officers responded to the scene.
Sergeant Jessie Godsey and deputy Kaylee Robertson of the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office were in the Blue Ridge area.
Godsey spotted a Chrysler Pacifica minivan near the intersection of Highway 515 and Old Highway 76 near Bill Holt Chevrolet. He attempted to stop the vehicle after the driver committed a traffic violation.
Wood said the van sped down Ballewtown Road, then turned south onto Highway 515, heading into Gilmer County.
The chase ended in the Cherry Log area when the van’s driver abruptly stopped near the intersection of Rock Creek Road and Highway 515.
The driver fled on foot and was caught by Godsey.
Robertson arrived and took the front seat passenger into custody.
Wood said body camera footage revealed there had been a third suspect in the van who had also fled on foot.
Additional deputies from Fannin and Gilmer counties converged on the area, including a K-9 unit from Gilmer County, but Johnson eluded capture.
During the chase, Kinser had observed multiple objects being thrown from the van.
Major Keith Bosen, Sergeant John Kinser and Deputy Courtney Pepper, all from the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office, conducted a search and located three separate bottle of pills.
Wood said those pills were in stock bottles and were labeled as having come from Southern Drug Company.
Wood said the two suspects who were captured were interviewed by Jessica Parks, an investigator with the District Attorney’s office, and an agent with the Georgia Bureau of investigation.
Wood said it was Parks who then began to dig into the case and was responsible for identifying Johnson as the third suspect. “She kept digging and digging,” Wood said.
That digging not only identified Johnson, but found his Alabama residence as well as warrants for him in two other states.
Johnson was arrested in Alabama by U.S. Marshals and extradited to Fannin County.
Jail records show he was booked September 26, 2023, and charged with Burglary in the Second Degree, Burglary-Smash and Grab, Criminal Damage to Property in the Second Degree, and Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Substance.
Lieutenant R.T. Henry of the Blue Ridge Police Department investigated the burglary and took out the initial charges on the suspects.
Wood said Johnson was sentenced for Possession of Schedule IV with Intent to Distribute and Smash and Grab Burglary.
At the time of his arrest, Johnson had just been convicted for burglary in Alabama, and had active arrest warrants for pharmacy burglaries in Alabama and West Tennessee.
“He was sitting pretty and never thought he’d be found,” Wood said. “He was about to get away.”
Once he completes his Georgia sentence, authorities in both Alabama and Tennessee have placed holds on him. He will immediately be turned over to one of those states.
“This was justice served,” Wood said.
The districrt attorney credited everyone involved for their part including the Blue Ridge Police Department, Fannin County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Marshals and the local agencies that assisted in Johnson’s arrest.
Speaking of Parks’ efforts in the case, Wood said people often think all the district attorney’s office does is prosecute cases, but her work is an example of some the investigative efforts that are also part of the office’s efforts.