Cartersville man banned from Cherokee County after pleading guilty to drive-by shootings
29-year-old Cartersville man Timothy Gregory (Cherokee County Sheriff's Office)
CANTON, Ga. - A Cartersville man will spend decades in jail after pleading guilty to two drive-by shootings in Cherokee County in 2022.
On May 1, 31-year-old Timothy Joseph Gregory entered a guilty plea to charges of aggravated assault, first and second-degree criminal damage to property, interference with government property, and more.
Officials say the charges stemmed from one shooting at a subdivision near Canton on May 10, 2022, and another at the Canton Department of Community Supervision two days later.
According to facts presented during the plea hearing, Gregory fired at least six shots at a home in the Carmichael Farms community. Deputies found five bullet holes in the front of the house, one of which went through the home's garage window, and into a walk-in closet. Thankfully, no one was injured.
Multiple residents and home security cameras told investigators that a blue Mazda had entered the neighborhood and fled right after the shooting. In the footage, officials say the driver had blocked out the license plate number with duct tape.
While they were investigating that shooting, Canton police responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting at the Department of Community Supervision. Surveillance video showed a vehicle pulling into the parking lot and someone inside firing two shots at a nearby SUV before driving away from the scene.
Investigators quickly connected the shootings and identified Gregory as the suspect in the case.
When detectives and a SWAT team arrested Gregory, they said they found an AR-15 pistol, a .45 caliber Ruger semi-automatic pistol, multiple magazines and ammunition, and several flare guns.
"Although the targets the defendant selected appeared to be random, the fact that he covered his license plate with duct tape suggests that his actions were premeditated and that he was trying to avoid detection," said Assistant District Attorney Kelly Chavis. "Fortunately, many of our residents have home surveillance cameras, which greatly assisted the investigation."
While investigators have not shared the motive behind the shooting, they told FOX 5 in 2022 that Gregory went to high school with one of the owners of the home.
After the guilty plea, a judge sentenced Gregory to 40 years with the first 20 to be served in prison. He has also been banned from Cherokee County and ordered to pay restitution.