4 gang members with alleged ties to Young Slime Life sentenced for ambush robbery
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. - A man who investigators say is associated with the Young Slime Life (YSL) and Yarborough Park Crips street gangs is facing additional charges following his conviction for an ambush armed robbery in 2019. His three codefendants were also sentenced.
Ajani Harris was charged with conspiracy to commit influencing a witness and violation of Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act in January after evidence of a phone conversations was discovered. Investigators say while Harris was Cherokee County Adult Detention Center, a call between Harris and another person as intercepted. In the conversation, Harris mentioned a letter with instructions regarding the armed robbery victims, investigators say.
Cherokee County deputies executed a search warrant searching for the letter, which they found. Investigators say it provided personal details of the armed robbery victims, along with a plan to threaten, bribe, intimidate, and prevent the victims from testifying against him.
"Ajani Harris not only failed to take responsibility for his actions, but also worked to circumvent the system by using his status in the gang to intimidate and threaten the victims in this case. If not for the actions of law enforcement, in collaboration with members of the District Attorney’s Office, this could have resulted in further harm to the victims." said Assistant District Attorney Megan S. Hertel, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the State. "This jury, through its verdict, and this Court, through its sentence, have shown our community that we will not be intimidated by criminal street gangs in Cherokee County."
Four sentenced for ambushed armed robbery at Cherokee County apartment
Harris was one of four people who were convicted in an ambush robbery that happened on the evening of July 23, 2019. Harris along with Dorien McElhney, Jayden Hickman, and Rachel Marek were arrested the next day.
Prosecutors say Marek invited a man she knew over to the Cherokee Summit apartments on Megan Court for an alleged party. He and his friend were let into the apartment just after 10:30 p.m.
Harris, who was waiting outside in the parking lot with a rifle in a guitar case, would storm into the apartment moments later pointing that rifle at them. Hickman would join him pointing a handgun at them. Meanwhile, McElheney took a wallet, cell phone, headphones, and shoes from the pair.
All four would be taken into custody the next day. Kennesaw Police say they were aware of three of the suspects: McElhney, Hickman, and Marek. All three were able to plea down their sentence with McElheney, 21, and Hickman, 22, sentenced to 20 years with 10 years to serve in prison, and Marek, 22, sentenced to 20 years with 5 years to serve in prison.
Ajani Harris sentenced for gang-related crimes
Harris, 22, was convicted, for violating the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He was sentenced on Dec. 20, 2022, to 60 years, with the first 30 years to serve in prison and the remainder on probation. He also was banned from Cherokee County and cannot have contact with any defendant or an associate of a criminal street gang.
Ajani Harris (Cherokee County Sheriff's Office)
Following the verdict, he entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit influencing a witness and the other gang charges on the additional charges. He was sentenced to 20 years for these charges, to run concurrent with the other case.
"Our state leaders have enacted and supported the Street Gang Terrorism Prevention Act in response to the clear and present danger that these defendants and others pose to the citizens of Georgia. It is our paramount duty as prosecutors to utilize the tools provided to us under Georgia law to vigorously pursue those who seek to terrorize our community through these types of crimes," said Acting District Attorney Susan Treadaway. "The jury’s verdict in this case represents another step towards fulfilling our mission to eradicate criminal street gang activity in our state. The District Attorney’s Office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners in this fight to ensure that justice is served."