WEDDING RING ROBBERS MARCH OFF TO PRISON

Jasper Walton and Deuntria Lyons Plead Guilty; Jury Finds Arthur D. Thomas Guilty

The brazen robbers who accosted women at gunpoint and stole their wedding ring sets are headed to prison. Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr. announces the conviction today of Arthur Thomas on one count of armed robbery. Thomas and co-defendant Deuntria Lyons-both of Atlanta-went on trial Tuesday. Thursday, Lyons decided to plead guilty in mid-trial to three counts of armed robbery. He then testified against Thomas. Lyons was sentenced to 20 years to serve. Under Georgia's recidivist law, Judge Jerry Baxter sentenced Thomas to life in prison without parole. The first of the three defendants to plead guilty this week was 20-year-old Jasper J. Walton of Atlanta. He was sentenced to 10 years to serve on one count of robbery. The three men also face similar charges in up to four other counties including Dekalb, Gwinnett and Henry counties.

During a Fulton County crime spree that began in January of 2007, at least 7 women were robbed at gunpoint of expensive jewelry--including their wedding rings-at several Buckhead malls and shopping centers. The locations included Phipps Plaza and a Target store on Piedmont Avenue and Sidney Marcus Blvd. The women were accosted as they were walking toward or loading packages into their cars. At least one of the robberies was taped by a store security camera.

This case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Holly Hughes, assisted by ADA Hilton Miller. The lead officer was Investigator B. Wilson of the Atlanta Police Department, assisted by Fulton County DA Investigators Henry Cooley and Walter Britt. Shantae Wilson provided assistance to the victims and witnesses in her role as a DA victim-witness advocate.

CONTACT: Lyn Vaughn, 404.730.6860 (office); 770.597.6963 (cell); lyn.vaughn@co.fulton.ga.us