District Attorney Investigator Yarbrough Honored as Gang Investigator of the Year:

This week, at the Georgia Gang Investigators Association Summer Conference, Deputy Chief Investigator Eric Yarbrough was presented with the Regional Investigator of the Year award for the Eastern Region of Georgia.

District Attorney's Office Deputy Chief Investigator Eric Yarbrough

The Georgia Gang Investigator’s Association trains, provides intelligence, and facilitates corroboration among law enforcement and prosecutor agencies throughout the state. This award acknowledges Investigator Yarbrough’s deep commitment and hard work in investigating gang crimes and illegal gang activity in not just Walton County, but in the surrounding areas.

The award was presented to Investigator Yarbrough by GBI Special Agent and Regional Gang Specialist Ashleigh Isaacson.

“Investigator Yarbrough has consistently been, not just one of the hardest working individuals in all of law enforcement in our Circuit, and the entire State of Georgia. He is committed to doing the right thing and will stop at nothing to achieve justice for victims and our communities.

Investigator Yarbrough has never believed that a case coming to the District Attorney’s Office is the complete story. He will always go above and beyond to continue digging to find more information. I cannot think of someone more deserving of being honored with this award.

Walton County is a safter place because of Investigator Yarbrough. The entire DA’s Office is proud and honored to be able to work alongside him.

Randy McGinley

District Attorney

Alcovy Judicial Circuit

Carey Clark sentenced for April conviction for child abuse and neglect:

Yesterday, Carey Clark was sentenced to decades in prison for his involvement in the abuse and neglect of multiple of his biological children. After the Court considered the results of the pre-sentencing investigation and heard arguments regarding sentencing from Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Bailey Wilkinson, for the State, and the defense, the Court followed the State’s recommendation and sentenced Clark to 30 years in prison followed by 30 years on probation.

In April, a Newton County jury found Clark guilty of Aggravated Battery and multiple counts of Cruelty to Children in the Second Degree. The jury heard evidence that Clark and co-defendant Nora Rodgers had failed to provide multiple children under the age of 10 necessary sustenance, physically injured them, and forced the children to perform exercises such as holding an 8 foot lawn timber over their heads. A doctor from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta testified at trial that what the children endured was torture.

In December of 2023, the codefendant, Nora Rodgers was sentenced for her involvement in the abuse and neglect to 60 years with the first 30 years in confinement. District Attorney Randy McGinley stated at the time of her sentence: "Over the years the children had suffered torture under the guise of punishment. They were forced to do extreme bootcamp style exercises. They would have to run laps, squats with large logs from the yard, jumping jacks, etc., for extended time periods and to the point of exhaustion and injury. They would often have to perform these exercises in the middle of the night and in the heat of summer. When the exercises were not performed to Rodgers liking, she would then beat them. Rodgers would also spar with children, striking and hitting them."

Both defendants received a sentence that reflects the seriousness of their crimes against young children. The children bravely came into court to tell the jurors about the abuse and neglect they had suffered. Their strength then and now is something to admire.

District Attorney Randy McGinley

Alcovy Judicial Circuit

New Law to Increase Adult Prosecutions of Juveniles in Gun Cases:

By District Attorney Randy McGinley:

As of April 28, 2025, Governor Kemp signed a new Georgia law that will dramatically reshape how the Georgia criminal justice system responds to youth gun violence. Under this law, which became effective that date, aggravated assaults committed with a firearm (typically covers threatening or shooting at someone with a gun, regardless of whether it results in injury) by 13- to 16-year-olds will no longer be handled in juvenile court. Instead, Superior Court – the court that handles adult defendants – will have exclusive jurisdiction.

This change is a response to the rise of youth gun violence in communities across Georgia. It should be clear that the people of Georgia have grown tired of youth gun violence. People feel less safe in their parks and neighborhoods and young men and women continue to lose their lives in Newton and Walton Counties because of gun crimes committed by teenagers. The people of Georgia have had enough, and their representatives have sent a strong message with this new law: if you commit a violent crime with a gun, you will face adult consequences.

Aggravated assault with a firearm is a serious crime, carrying a penalty of 1 to 20 years on probation or in prison. The minimum penalty can increase significantly when the victim is in law enforcement, is a teacher, is elderly, or is in another protected category. Additionally, every aggravated assault with a firearm is also an additional felony crime: possession of a firearm during commission of a felony. This adds up to an additional 5 years, which must be served after the sentence for the aggravated assault. When there are multiple victims, crimes against each victim constitute separate offenses. A teenager involved in a shooting that harms or threatens multiple victims could face up to 25 years per victim.

A moment of bad judgment or giving in to peer pressure could lead to a teenager facing decades in prison and a lifetime as a convicted felon. And yet, prison time is not the most

tragic consequence of youth gun violence – it is the loss of life. Year after year, gun related deaths remain the leading cause of death for children and teens, even more than car crashes and cancer.

In addition to aggravated assaults with firearms, attempted murder and terroristic acts against a school join the list of crimes for which 13-16-year-olds will be prosecuted as adults. The list still includes murder, armed robbery with a firearm, rape, and aggravated sex crimes.

No one in the criminal justice system enjoys handling cases with young defendants facing decades in prison. As a prosector, I swore an oath to uphold the laws of Georgia, and protecting the communities in my jurisdiction is a priority. I will continue to zealously prosecute those that commit violent crimes in Newton and Walton, including when a teenager commits violence.

I cannot count the number of times I have seen family members come into court for their teenage son and profess to the judge that they will watch their son (let’s be honest, it is rarely young women in his position) if the court just lets him out. And all too often, there are numerous social media images of their 13–16-year-old son with firearms, sometimes assault rifles or handguns with extended magazines, that the family was, somehow, unaware of.

Georgia has changed the law to protect its communities. But there is a still deeper challenge – protecting our youth from being involved in gun violence. That demands a collective effort from parents, the schools, and community leaders. If our communities want to try to prevent these crimes before they occur, then the effort needs to occur BEFORE the criminal justice systems is involved, BEFORE a 13–16-year-old is standing in court facing decades in prison for shooting up a house. If there hasn’t been a wake-up call before, let this be it. Our families and our youth need to know the consequences they could face if they use a gun illegally.

Randy McGinley

District Attorney

Alcovy Judicial Circuit