Robbery spree, including Aiken incident, gets man decades in federal prison

Landon Stamper, Aiken Standard, S.C.
·2 min read

May 25—A previously convicted felon whose crime spree ended when he was shot by a store employee will spend nearly four decades in federal prison for a string of armed robberies and carjackings across Georgia and South Carolina.

Demetrius "Meechy" Jackson, 31, of Savannah, was sentenced Monday to 37 years in prison after pleading guilty to discharging and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to crimes of violence; carjacking and attempted carjacking; interference with commerce by robbery; and conspiracy to use and carry firearms during crimes of violence, said David H. Estes, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Jackson to pay restitution to nine victims in the case, and to serve five years of supervised release after completion of his prison sentence.

There is no parole in the federal system.

"Meechy Jackson is the epitome of a violent, armed criminal, and providence prevented his stolen gun from firing when he attempted to shoot his final victim," Estes said. "The legal gun owner then used his own weapon to defend himself, bringing an end to Jackson's crime spree. He'll have a long prison term to contemplate his errors — and to be thankful that he's still alive."

During sentencing, Jackson repeatedly disrupted the proceedings and was restrained by members of the U.S. Marshals Service after he lunged toward the prosecutors' table.

According to court statements and filings, in November 2018, Jackson perpetrated a two-and-a-half-week crime spree across Georgia and South Carolina, including incidents in Savannah, Augusta, Athens, Aiken, Georgetown and Columbia.

In the Aiken incident, which occurred Nov. 21, 2018, Jackson walked into a Boost Mobile store in the city, pulled out a gun and demanded money. Before he left with the store's cash, Jackson seized an employee's cell phone and smashed it.

Jackson was arrested shortly after the Columbia shooting, and a search of the Tahoe revealed bloody clothes, the stolen .22 caliber pistol used in the crimes and numerous stolen items.

Jackson's charges stem from two separate indictments brought by grand juries sitting in the Northern and Southern Districts of Georgia.

"Quick, effective collaboration between state and federal law enforcement officers and prosecutors throughout Georgia and South Carolina has brought Demetrius Jackson to justice," said Kurt R. Erskine, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. "This office is fully committed to tackling violent crime and protecting the community from violent criminals."

This case was investigated by numerous agencies, including the Aiken Department of Public Safety, the FBI and the Richland County Sheriff's Department.

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