CHILD PREDATOR CONVICTED

Off-Duty Resource Officer Thwarted Attempt to Lure 13-Year Old Girl

Statement from District Attorney Howard

I would like to publicly applaud Senior Assistant District Attorney Chuck Boring and ADA Walter Yarbrough for the hard work and talent displayed in the recent prosecution of the State vs. Dejuan Marshall. As a result of their skillful prosecution, Defendant Marshall, 35, was convicted Tuesday evening by jury trial of Criminal Attempt to Entice a Child for Indecent Purposes and Impeding Normal Traffic Flow for trying to lure a teenager into his car. In addition to the fine prosecutorial work of ADAs Boring and Yarbrough, I would also like to thank Atlanta Police Officer Jose Vidal, the arresting officer on the case and the District Attorney’s Investigative staff led by Senior DA Investigator Cindy Williamson. A huge debt of gratitude, however, is owed today to Fulton County School Resource Officer Romero Mason, who stopped this predator in his tracks.

On March 23, 2009, Defendant Marshall was driving along Fairburn Road in Atlanta when he spotted a 13-year old girl walking to school. Marshall slowed and began talking to the girl and asked if he could take her to school. The victim replied, “No,” and the defendant continued trying to persuade the child to enter his vehicle saying he wanted to “get to know her better,” all while lewdly leering at the girl’s body. The exchange was witnessed by Officer Mason who was on his way to work and recognized the child as one of his students at Harper Archer Middle School. Officer Mason, radioed dispatch and continued following the car until police arrived and arrested the perpetrator. Were it not for the swift thinking and bold actions of Officer Mason, one can only imagine the physical harm that might have been inflicted on an innocent child that day.

Despite the terror experienced by this child, the State was required to wage a long battle to obtain justice for this young victim and her family. Following a June 2009 indictment, a non-elected Fulton County Magistrate Judge granted a Demurrer, which in effect dismissed the case before it was tried. Our office immediately appealed that decision to the Georgia Court of Appeals which subsequently reversed the Magistrate Judge’s decision and re-instated the indictment. In its Opinion the Court stated, “Whether the defendant will be deemed to have acted with the requisite criminal intent will be an issue for jury resolution.”

On August 30, 2010, this case was, in fact, presented to a Fulton County jury who returned a guilty verdict just a day later on both counts: Criminal Intent to Entice a Child for Indecent Purposes and Impeding Traffic Flow.

Finally, for all the young girls in our community who have been snatched off of the streets never to be heard from again, justice has been served, if only in this one case where a would-be predator’s attempt to harm one of our most precious commodities was averted. Sadly though, following Dejuan Marshall’s conviction, he walked out of the courtroom, a free man. Rather than time behind bars- which this convicted sex offender most assuredly deserves- especially considering he was already a convicted felon at the time of this incident- Marshall was sentenced to 15-years to serve one, commuted to time served and five years probation with the balance suspended.

Again, thank you to the hard working men and women who brought this case to justice. I appreciate your efforts. To the citizens of Fulton County, please know your efforts are not in vain. The fight goes on!

Media Contact: Yvette Brown, 404-224-0560/404-392-8867, yvette.brown@fultoncountyga.gov