(Marietta, GA – May 19, 2023) Cobb County District Attorney Flynn D. Broady, Jr. announces that Dejaun Davelle Morris, age 26, pled guilty to one count of armed robbery, two counts of false imprisonment, and one count of possession of firearm during commission of a felony. Superior Court Judge Sonja N. Brown sentenced Morris to eight years to serve followed by 12 years on probation.

In the early morning hours of Feb. 2, 2020, Morris and a co-defendant made an appointment to see a sex worker at the Motel 6 on Delk Road in Marietta.  The two stormed the room armed with an AR-15 demanding money.  There were two women in the room, and both had no money. After ransacking the room and finding no money, the two men then told the women to get someone there for them to rob.  While contacting a patron, one of the women texted a friend who called 911.  A male patron walked into the room and was physically beaten and robbed by the two men who switched off handling the AR-15 throughout the encounter.  Multiple MPD and CCPD officers responded within minutes and apprehended the defendants, who had hidden the AR-15 under a mattress in the room.

Co-defendant Boyce Newsome pled guilty in October 2021 to one count of armed robbery, two counts of false imprisonment, one count of possession of firearm during commission of a felony and one count of possession of firearm by convicted felon. Newsome received the same sentence of eight years to serve in prison followed by 12 years on probation. Former Superior Court Judge Robert E. Flournoy III accepted the plea and sentenced Newsome.

Assistant District Attorney Katherine Griffiths prosecuted the case on behalf of the State of Georgia. Attorney James Gibert represented Morris at the plea. After sentencing, ADA Griffiths stated, “Criminals may prey on sex workers thinking that they don’t matter and that no one will care. Marietta PD, Cobb PD, and the Cobb DA’s Office worked this case like any other and are dedicated to protecting our community. No one should have to go through that ordeal.”

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