Four Defendants Sentenced for Attempted Armed Robbery of Dunwoody Jewelry Store

Press Release

ATLANTA - Four multi-convicted felons, each of whom was on probation or parole when they joined an interstate robbery crew led by a south Georgia prison inmate, have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in the attempted smash-and-grab armed robbery of a Dunwoody, Georgia, jewelry store.

"These defendants posed a significant threat to public safety when they terrorized innocent victims during their crime spree," said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. "The successful prosecutions of these armed career criminals resulted from the tenacious and collaborative work of our federal and state law enforcement partners who disrupted the defendants' violent activities and helped to prevent them from targeting other members of our communities."

"These defendants clearly showed no regard for the law as they continued their crimes even while on parole. All four were willing to put innocent civilians at risk during the commission of these armed robberies and it is fortunate no one was hurt because of their selfish desire for wealth," said Sean Burke, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. "Hopefully this federal sentence will send the message that the FBI will not tolerate the behavior of repeat violent offenders."

According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: In July 2023, FBI special agents began investigating jewelry store robberies throughout the southeastern United States. During the investigation, agents discovered that the robberies were being orchestrated by Deuntria Lyons, who was at the time serving six life sentences at Valdosta State Prison for planning other robberies from behind bars.

In November 2023, the FBI intercepted dozens of telephone conversations and text messages between Lyons and his associates, including Melvin Asbury, Mark Oliver, and Santino Parks. In those communications, Lyons and Oliver discussed the date, location, and other details of Lyons's plan to rob a jewelry store in Dunwoody, Georgia, including plans for two of the robbers to enter the store armed with handguns while a third accomplice waited in a getaway car.

On December 1, 2023, agents observed three of the robbers park a car near the jewelry store that Lyons discussed in his previous communications. Agents arrested Oliver, Parks, and Jamaury Marshall at the scene, and recovered masks, gloves, trash bags, two sledgehammers, two loaded Glock pistols, and a loaded high-capacity magazine from the vehicle. Shortly thereafter, Georgia State Patrol troopers arrested Asbury in another vehicle.

On December 12, 2023, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina obtained an indictment charging Lyons and a second person with conspiracy to commit robbery and other offenses.

At the time of their arrests, Asbury, Marshall, Parks, and Oliver were all on probation or parole with the state of Georgia following convictions for violent crimes. Asbury was granted parole in 2022 after serving nearly 17 years of a 20-year sentence for armed robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault, burglary, and weapons-possession offenses. Marshall was on probation after having been imprisoned for burglary, aggravated assault, and weapons-possession offenses. Similarly, Parks was on probation for robbery by force, aggravated battery, and burglary. Oliver was on probation for robbery and acts of violence while in prison.

U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen sentenced the defendants as follows:

• Melvin Asbury, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to five years, three months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty on June 20, 2024, to attempted Hobbs Act robbery.
• Jamaury Marshall, 29, of Johns Creek, Georgia, was sentenced to eight years, four months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty on June 7, 2024, to possession of a firearm, which he was prohibited from possessing due to his status as a convicted felon.
• Mark Anthony Oliver, 23, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to five years, three months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty on June 26, 2024, to attempted Hobbs Act robbery.
• Santino Demarco Parks, 29, was sentenced to seven years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty on June 20, 2024, to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, attempted Hobbs Act robbery, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Theodore S. Hertzberg and Leanne M. Marek prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney's Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

Updated November 8, 2024