LaGrange man connected to Neo-Nazi group sentenced to prison, officials say
Hunter Blake Harrington
LAGRANGE, Ga. - A 24-year-old LaGrange man who investigators say was associated with a Neo-Nazi hate has been sentenced to more than a decade in prison.
On Wednesday, Hunter Blake Harringon pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a sawed-off shotgun, one count of possession of a sawed-off rifle, and one count of unlawful possession of a silencer. He also entered "best interest" guilty pleas to six counts of violating the Georgia Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, which allowed him to plead guilty without admitting guilt.
Officials say their investigation into Harrington began on Oct. 24, 2022, when a concerned citizen told the Troup County Sheriff's Office that they were worried about his "erratic behavior."
The citizen told investigators that Harrington had illegal weapons, was infatuated with mass killers, and identified himself as a member of the Neo-Nazi hate group the Atomwaffen Division. Harrington had already been involuntarily committed.
While searching his apartment, deputies say they found a safe that contained a sawed-off shotgun, a sawed-off rifle, illegal silencers and material that possibly could make an explosive device. Deputies also found paraphernalia and writings connected to the hate group.
"Criminal street gangs come in many forms, but in all cases they commit crimes, often violent crimes with firearms, to benefit their organization," District Attorney John Herbert Cranford Jr. said in a release. "I am thankful that this Neo-Nazi was caught and imprisoned under Georgia’s Gang Act before he used his illegal firearms to harm someone."
Following his guilty plea, a judge sentenced the 24-year-old to 40 years with the first 15 to be served in prison.
Harrington is the second man connected with white supremacist groups convicted and sentenced in the Coweta Judicial Circuit, officials said. The first was Christopher Copson, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison as a reported member of the Aryan Brotherhood in 2018.