Armed robbery duo convicted in metro Atlanta spree

ATLANTA - The U.S. Attorney in Atlanta has announced that two men, convicted of engaging in an armed robbery spree in 2018, will each spend more than a decade behind bars.

The two men involved held up employees at gunpoint at seven different businesses over 2 days. U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Ryan Buchanan described the 2018 crime spree by these two men as 'terrifying and violent. 

Buchanan says on October 29, 2018, Kujo Duako tried to rob a CVS store in South Fulton but was unsuccessful when the employee ran into the back and triggered a fire alarm.  

He then robbed a Dollar General in South Fulton immediately after. 

The next day, Duako and Sammetrius Brooks robbed five businesses together in four cities.  

"Five separate businesses the following day, so this was a rash of violence," Buchanan said. 

That spree included an IHOP and Family Dollar in South Fulton, a Sprint cell provider store in Riverdale, a MetroPCS cell provider store in College Park and the United Community Bank branch in Fairburn.   

"People work there, and they go there every day simply to make a living for themselves and for their families. And to have your workday upended by a robber with a pistol is an unfortunate and potentially tragic situation," Buchanan said.  

That’s why Buchanan was proud to announce Thursday that almost six years later, both of these men pleaded guilty to the multitude of federal charges they faced.  

A judge sentenced Duako to 16 years and Brooks to 11 years.  

Buchanan said it could have been a lot more if they had not pleaded guilty. 

That’s now on top of the ten years they were already serving for convictions in Fulton County.  

"To those who would rob people with guns, we hope you understand that the collaboration of federal and local law enforcement agencies is alive and well and it is swift," Buchanan said.