Woodstock armed robbery linked to Bloods criminal street gang, men convicted
Jahlen Merritt and Dante Dashawn Woods (District Attorney Cherokee County)
WOODSTOCK - A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison without parole for violating the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, armed robbery, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Dante Dashawn Woods entered a guilty plea in a negotiated deal on March 17, 2023. The announcement was made by Cherokee County Acting District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway.
Woods' co-defendant, Jahlen Merritt, 22, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on July 12, 2022, for his part in the crime. The two were charged with an armed robbery that occurred on Dec. 5, 2019, in the parking lot behind Chattahoochee Technical College in Woodstock. During the robbery, Woods pointed a firearm at the victim while Merritt took his wallet, iPhone, and a single AirPod. Merritt also used a mobile finance app to steal money from the victim's bank account by transferring funds to himself.
Merritt and two others committed a similar armed robbery in Cobb County on the same day, using the same weapon and vehicle. In the second robbery, Merritt wore a red bandana over his face, which represents allegiance to the Bloods gang. Merritt earned the right to display the red bandana as a "flag" for the Bloods in the second armed robbery based on his participation in the initial crime.
"Many Cherokee County residents may be shocked to hear that the Bloods, one of the most dangerous criminal street gangs, are in our community committing these sorts of crimes. Our goal is to eradicate criminal street gangs in Georgia. With the continued diligence of law enforcement in this mission, we will do just that," said Acting District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway.
The Woodstock Police Department, with assistance from Cobb County and Marietta, investigated the case. The defendants' cell phone provided key information, including a conversation in which Woods and Merritt discussed committing "licks" (crimes and armed robberies) and another conversation in which Merritt asked Woods about going on his "walk," which is a term used to describe initiation into the gang through the commission of criminal activity. The prosecution also reviewed social media, music videos, facial tattoos, jail visits and phone calls, and gang activity within the jail as part of the case.
"To make a meaningful impact on gang activity within our community, it is necessary to address recruitment into criminal street gangs, and a collaborative effort was made to do that here," said Assistant District Attorney Megan S. Hertel, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the State. "I commend Woodstock, Cobb County, and Marietta Police Departments for working together to ensure a quick arrest and thorough investigation of this crime."