Macon – A Macon man was sentenced to prison on Friday after he pleaded guilty to his part in a 2016 drive-by shooting.
Vashawn Demontez Berry, 22, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and violation of the Georgia Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act. He was sentenced to serve 20 years, with the first eight of them in prison. After his release from prison, Berry must abide by gang conditions of probation.
If the case had gone to trial, prosecutor Sandra Matson would have presented evidence showing:
A now-28-year-old man was walking with friends near the intersection of Villa Crest Avenue and Houston Avenue at about 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 15, 2016. Two men in the car fired shots. The 28-year-old victim, although not the intended target, was shot in the face. Berry, one of the shooters, was associated with the Crips street gang at the time of the incident.
Speaking after Friday’s plea, District Attorney David Cooke said, “Mr. Berry put everyone at risk when he fired his gun out the car window. Bullets don’t always limit their damage to the intended victims. Sometimes they strike indiscriminately and cause incalculable damage for innocent families who want nothing but peace. I hope this young man reconsiders his life and makes better choices when he’s released.”
A case is still pending in Bibb County Superior Court for a second man charged in the shooting. He is presumed innocent unless and until he is convicted in a court of law.
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)