Warrants for two men were issued by Towns County officials last week for failure to appear following an investigation into an organized crime ring dealing in stolen construction equipment.
The Towns County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday the issuance of warrants for two men who both bonded out of the county’s detention center between Dec. 2022 and June. Juwan Quintis Cabbell, 27, and Keshaun James Means, 22, both of Decatur, were released on $6,000 and $14,000 bond respectively. The pair were due in court on June 9 but never appeared.
Both wanted men, along with several others, were arrested in Dec. 2022 during an investigation into an organized crime ring dealing in stolen construction equipment.
On Dec. 7 a Towns County resident reported his attempted purchase of a Kubota Excavator valued at $23,000 from an independent seller. During the course of the transaction, the resident became concerned the excavator may have been stolen, and contacted authorities, according to the Towns County Sheriff’s Office.
An investigation began and it was soon determined the equipment was a rental from a shop in Tennessee.
Towns County authorities set up a sting operation to purchase the equipment and the transaction was made by an undercover investigator. At that point, the individuals selling the stolen equipment fled by vehicle, and attempted to run over one of the responding county deputies.
“They actually ran from the location that we were trying to stop them and they had the equipment on the back of their truck and all that, and then we got them a short time later,” Chief Deputy Gene Moss said. “We arrested them here in Towns County with that equipment.”
The pursuit ran down Highway 76 toward Young Harris and reportedly never exceeded 60 mph. During the chase, the suspects attempted to ram police patrol vehicles. Officials discovered one of the men in that incident was wearing an ankle monitor and out on bond from Dekalb County for murder.
The suspects were eventually stopped and it was discovered that four people were in the escaping vehicle, all of whom were taken into custody without further incident. Authorities also discovered two 10mm handguns with extended magazines in the vehicle, which were confiscated according to the sheriff’s office.
The four people taken into custody in that incident were Dekarius Christopher Pitts, 22, of Dacula, Zackeri Alexander Leonard, 22, of Stockbridge, Jontavius Clark, 23, of Decatur and Ronequa Shaunae Jones, 22, of Decatur.
The Kubota Excavator from Tennessee was rented using fake identification. The suspects then moved the equipment south into Towns County where they originally planned to sell the equipment through an online marketplace.
The organized crime investigation continued when another incident was reported a week later on Dec. 13.
Towns County deputies received information claiming another excavator was attempting to be sold by suspects to a county resident. This time, the excavator was from a business in Calhoun, Georgia. Investigators located the excavator at a Dollar General store in Young Harris.
Sheriff’s deputies and Young Harris College police officers responded in tandem and converged on the location, where they found the suspects beginning to unload the excavator.
Once authorities were on the scene, the suspects attempted to escape and rammed a Young Harris police vehicle. Authorities quickly made a traffic stop and three additional suspects were taken into custody.
Three individuals were arrested in the second incident, including Keshaun James Means, 22, of Decatur, Juwan Quintis Cabbell, 26, of Decatur and Umeko Ann Walker, 31, of Decatur.
Means and Cabbell bonded out of jail sometime later, and were due in court on June 9, but failed to appear. Means was charged with alleged felony aggravated assault against a law enforcement officer, felony fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, felony interference with government property and purchase, possession, manufacture, distribution or sale of marijuana.
Cabbell was charged with alleged felony theft by conversion and obstruction of an officer.
The Towns County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the organized crime ring and indicated they are working with other agencies to assist in the process. Chief Deputy Moss was not able to disclose which agencies they are currently in coordination with due to the active state of the investigation.
Investigators are asking anyone with information on the location of either Means or Cabbell to contact authorities at (706) 896-4444.
