Macon – On Monday, Bibb County Sheriff David Davis announced the arrest of 32 individuals as part of a joint investigation into gang activity in Macon-Bibb County and the use of contraband cell phones in the jail.
This spring, the Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office authorized and paid for wiretaps to listen in on contraband cell phones. The wiretaps contributed to the execution of several search warrants on Sept. 6 and the seizure of a dozen guns, $21,891 in cash, $4,300 in ecstasy and $22,500 in marijuana.
“People ask what we’re going to do to address the number of homicides in Macon-Bibb County. Inter-agency cooperation and operations like this are how we combat the gangs that terrorize our community and contribute to a number of our homicides,” District Attorney David Cooke said during a Monday news conference. “This is how we do something about gangs before someone else loses their life.”
In the hands of inmates, cell phones become dangerous tools that can be used to continue criminal activity on the street although a person is behind bars.
“If you are engaged in smuggling or obtaining cell phones for people in jail or in prison, you’re going to get caught. And when we catch you, we’re not going to tell you right away. First, we’re going to put taps on your phones so we can prosecute you and your co-conspirators,” Cooke said. “Every inmate who receives a call on a contraband phone call should treat the call as if it was made collect because sooner or later, the bill will come due.”
Each of the 32 people arrested is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The FBI and U.S. Marshals also participated in the operation.
For more news from the District Attorney’s Office, follow on Twitter @DA_DavidCooke, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DADavidCooke and on Instagram at da_davidcooke.
Contact: Amy Leigh Womack
478-621-6179 (office)
478-319-2529 (cell)