Macon – A 30-year-old man who threatened employees at Eagle Gun Range in 2014 pleaded no contest Tuesday to four counts of simple assault.
A trial was set to begin Tuesday for Kinnan Ghali. Ghali was indicted in 2015 on four counts of terroristic threats.
If the case had gone to trial, prosecutors would have presented evidence showing Ghali entered the business on Woodfield Drive and asked questions about a Glock firearm. Not satisfied with the information he received, Ghali asked to talk with the owner or a manager.
When the owner talked with Ghali, Ghali began yelling and using profanity as he threatened to kill the owner and the store’s employees by burning the business down or blowing it up. The employees ushered Ghali outside where he continued to make threats.
The owner and two employees spoke during the plea hearing and described their fear and ongoing concern.
After lecturing Ghali, Bibb County Superior Court Judge Howard Simms agreed to the Ghali’s attorney’s request that Ghali be sentenced to a year on probation and as a first offender.
If Ghali successfully completes his sentence, he won’t have a felony record. If he violates terms of his probation, he can be sentenced to up to four years in prison.
Ghali additionally is barred from any contact with the gun range, its’ owner or the employees who were threatened.
Speaking after the hearing, Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney David Cooke said, “Mr. Ghali is lucky this case didn’t end in a tragedy. I hope he can learn from this.”
For more news from the District Attorney’s Office, follow on Twitter @DA_DavidCooke and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DADavidCooke.
Contact: Amy Leigh Womack
478-621-6179 (office)
478-319-2529 (cell)
