Hazlehurst Gang Members Found Guilty of Felony Murder and Gang-Related Charges

Glynn County District Attorney Keith Higgins announced that on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, a Jeff Davis County jury found Daimon Smith, 20, and Jermon Rountree, 19, both from Hazlehurst, Georgia, guilty of multiple charges, including Felony Murder, two counts of Aggravated Assault, two counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and five counts of Violation of the Street Gang and Terrorism Prevention Act. The jury acquitted both defendants of one count related to the Violation of the Street Gang and Terrorism Prevention Act.

The trial revealed that Smith and Rountree were associated with a criminal street gang known as Money Over Banging (MOB), a hybrid gang primarily composed of members from the Rollin’ 60’s Crips, along with some individuals from the Gangster Disciples and Bloods.

The incident leading to the charges occurred on October 14, 2022, when Malik McRae, 18, was visiting a friend with other teenagers. Smith, Rountree, and fellow gang members confronted McRae’s friend over a social media post involving one of their gang members. After entering the yard, Smith argued with McRae’s friend and demanded that they fight in the street. When the gang refused to leave, a resident retrieved a gun and fired it into the air. Smith then obtained a handgun from a gang member and fired at several teenagers who were fleeing back to the residence. McRae was shot and killed during the chaos, and another teenager was also injured.

District Attorney Higgins stated, “Violent criminal street gangs are the greatest threat to the safety of everyone who lives, works, and raises a family in our community. The District Attorney’s Office is committed to do everything we can to combat these gangs and hold their members fully responsible for the crimes they commit.”

Sentencing for Smith and Rountree will occur at a future date yet to be determined. Both defendants face a potential maximum sentence of life imprisonment without parole, in addition to 90 years in prison.