On Tuesday, 26-year-old Jeffry Rice was indicted for his alleged involvement in a fatal shooting in Athens, Georgia, in October 2022. The indictment marks the fiftieth for Georgia’s new Gang Prosecution Unit which was established last year.
“Jeffery Rice, age 26, of Clarke County, has been indicted for his alleged involvement in a fatal shooting that occurred in Athens in Oct. 2022. Rice is an alleged member of the Red Tape Gang & his indictment is the result of our strong partnership with @accpolice,” Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr wrote on Twitter. “Since its creation on July 1, 2022, our Gang Prosecution Unit has indicted 50 alleged gang members around the state, with 11 charged in Clarke County. All Georgians deserve to be safe, & we’ll keep fighting to root out gang activity wherever it occurs”
Rice has been charged with multiple counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, weapons offenses, and other charges.
“With our new Gang Prosecution Unit, we are using all resources at our disposal to disrupt the growing gang networks that are terrorizing our communities and putting people at risk,” Carr said in a statement. “This latest indictment is the result of our strong partnership with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, as we work together to ensure that those who engage in violent crime are held accountable for their actions. All Georgians deserve to be safe, and we will continue fighting to root out gang activity wherever it occurs.”
As explained in a press release from Carr’s office, “Last year, with the support of Governor Brian Kemp and members of the General Assembly, Attorney General Chris Carr created Georgia’s first statewide Gang Prosecution Unit. This new Unit officially began its historic work on July 1, 2022.”
“The creation of the Unit is made possible by HB 1134, legislation that provides the Office of the Attorney General with concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute criminal gang activity statewide. Georgia’s FY 2023 budget also includes $1.3 million to establish the new Gang Prosecution Unit,” the press release added. “In total, this new Unit has obtained 14 indictments charging 50 defendants across the state. This includes the indictment of eight alleged members of the Red Tape Gang in Clarke County.”
