Carr Announces Hire of New Regional Prosecutor and Investigator to Combat Violent Gang Activity in Savannah

SAVANNAH, GA - Attorney General Chris Carr today announced two new hires as part of his Gang Prosecution Unit's recent expansion to Savannah. Assistant Attorney General Brian DeBlasiis and Criminal Investigator Jacob Hesting will oversee the Unit's regional efforts in Chatham County - working with local, state, and federal law enforcement to investigate and prosecute violent criminal gang activity throughout the area. DeBlasiis most recently served as the First Chief Assistant District Attorney in Chatham County. Hesting previously worked as a Corporal in the Savannah Police Department's Gang Unit. Funding for this expansion is provided in the state's FY 26 budget, which was passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Brian Kemp earlier this year.

"We have put away some of our state's most dangerous criminals, and now we're taking our efforts to Savannah with this most recent expansion of our Gang Prosecution Unit," said Carr. "This new regional team will prove critical as we work to disrupt and dismantle violent criminal street gangs in every corner of our state. We won't rest in our efforts to keep Georgians safe, and those who terrorize our communities with repeated acts of violence will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

Since it began its historic work on July 1, 2022, Carr's Gang Prosecution Unit has secured more than 115 convictions across the state. The team recently obtained a new indictment in Chatham Countycharging three suspected gang members in connection with the aggravated assault of an 18-year-old male and the armed robbery and carjacking of a 44-year-old rideshare driver at Oglethorpe Mall.

Just last year, Carr expanded his Gang Prosecution Unit to Columbus, Macon, and Southeast Georgia. The Unit is based in Atlanta, with satellite prosecutors and investigators in Albany and Augusta as well.

Carr's Gang Prosecution Unit has already seen tremendous success with this regional framework, including:

• The recovery of 15 lbs. of fentanyl in Augusta- enough to kill 3.5 million Georgians - following a multi-agency operation, which also resulted in a 333-count indictment charging 30 suspected gang members;
• The indictment of 11 suspected gang members following a major drug trafficking investigation in Macon-Bibb County;
• The conviction of three gang members for the murder of two teens in Muscogee County, with all defendants sentenced to life in prison;
• The largest motorcycle gang indictment in state history, which resulted in the conviction of 15 members of the Outcast Motorcycle Gang in Bryan County; and
• The conviction of six members of the Inglewood Family Gangster Bloods in Dougherty County- five of whom were involved in the trafficking of a 16-year-old female who had been missing from the Albany area for approximately one month.

The Gang Prosecution Unit is housed in the Attorney General's Prosecution Unit, which also includes Carr's Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, his White Collar and Cyber Crime Unit, and his Organized Retail Crime Unit.

New Hires for the Attorney General's Gang Prosecution Unit

Brian DeBlasiis joined the Chatham County District Attorney's Office in 2019 and most recently served as First Chief Assistant District Attorney. In this role, he supervised the office with a focus on the Superior Court Division, including the Counter Narcotics Prosecution Unit, the Other Felony Division, and the Major Crimes and Special Victims Unit, which he helped to create. DeBlasiis previously worked as an Associate Attorney at a general practice law firm and as a Special Deputy Assistant State's Attorney in Connecticut. He earned his bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of New Haven and his J.D. from the Quinnipiac University School of Law.

Jacob Hesting most recently served as a Corporal with the Savannah Police Department's (SPD) Gang Unit, where he conducted long-term investigations into criminal gang activity. He also worked on the Underwater Search and Recovery Team and conducted street patrol operations as an Advanced Patrol Officer, totaling nine years of service with SPD. Hesting is a combat veteran who served with the 75th Ranger Regiment of the U.S. Army's Special Operations Command (USASOC). He has received several awards for his military service and numerous certifications in gang and human trafficking investigations through the Georgia Gang Investigators Association (GGIA). Hesting earned his bachelor's degree in Homeland Security Emergency Management from Savannah State University.