DA Names New Crime Fighter to Zone 3

Assistant DA Rand Csehy to Take on Drug Dealers after Minister's home Fire-bombed!

Atlanta- In direct response to urgent community concerns about a growing Zone 3 drug problem, Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr., has appointed Assistant District Attorney Rand Csehy (Chay-hee) Community Prosecutor for Zone 3. Howard calls Csehy, who has been with the Major Narcotics Division in the DA's office for a year and a half, "a perfect fit" for the job. Csehy was the first drug prosecutor in Forsyth County and worked there for 3 years before joining the Fulton County District Attorney's office.

Zone 3, which includes the communities of Peoplestown, Cabbagetown and Reynoldstown, is spread across southeast and southwest Atlanta. For six months, District Attorney Howard's office has been in meetings with residents and business and police representatives to map strategies for ridding the area of drug-dealing.

Yesterday, two suspected drug dealers were arrested and charged with setting a gasoline fire at the home of a Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) "X" leader. Rev. John Kimbrough and his family were at church Sunday, June 6th, when Atlanta Police say 37-year-old Fred Miller and 20-year-old Montravis Wood set fire to Kimbrough's home. Police say each has an extensive arrest record. The two are to make their first court appearance on arson charges at the Fulton County jail today.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Wanda Dallas, head of the Community Prosecutor's Office will direct the work of new community prosecutor Csehy. She calls the alleged actions of Miller and Wood "a blatant threat" to the efforts of the residents of Zone 3 to take back their community.

CONTACT: Lyn Vaughn 404-224-0560 (office); 404-533-1381 (pager)