By: Melanie Ruberti

 

Melanie.ruberti@lagrangenews.com

 

Man pleads guilty to molesting neighbor

 

Suspect has similar case pending in Alabama

 

LaGRANGE – A man accused of child molestation and statutory rape pleaded guilty to the charges against him this week inside a Troup County Superior Courtroom.

 

Quincy Fincher, 38, was arrested in Sept. 2015 for inappropriately touching the young daughter of his neighbor inside his home in the Woodland Trails apartment complex at 140 North Davis Road, according to the Troup County District Attorney’s office.

 

Fincher also reportedly drove the girl across state lines into Alabama where he again sexually molested her, according to the DA’s office. That case is still pending, officials stated.

 

Troup County Assistant District Attorney Jim Powers agreed to dismiss the charge of child molestation against Fincher, but still pursued the charge of statutory rape.

 

“After thorough negotiations and meetings with the victim and her family, an offer of 20 (years) to serve 10 (years) was made (to Fincher),” Powers stated. “This offer was made in large part to avoid putting the victim through a trial.”

 

Fincher pleaded guilty to statutory rape.

 

Presiding Judge Travis Sakrison followed the recommendation of the state and sentenced Fincher to 20 years to serve 10 years behind bars.

 

Man serving time for murder pleads guilty to lesser charge

 

A man convicted of shooting and killing another man more than six years ago reappeared in a Troup County Superior Courtroom on Wednesday.

 

Willie Charles Gates, 30, was accused of murdering Raymond Parker in June, 2009, said the Troup County District Attorney’s office.

 

Gates was convicted of malice murder in June, 2010 and sentenced to life in prison plus five years for firearms violations, according to a LaGrange Daily News article printed on June 24, 2010.

 

He was resentenced from the original 2009 indictment.

 

The man reportedly shot Parker in the head on the front porch of a home in the 300 block of Dix Street, the article stated. The incident occurred just hours after two altercations among a large group of people in the neighborhood, explained Senior Assistant District Attorney Melissa Himes.

 

The 30-year-old man apparently believed Parker had assaulted Gates’ female cousin during the second altercation and wanted revenge, the Daily News article read.

 

“Tempers were high that day,” Himes recounted for the court. “Numerous police officers responded to the fights … but in the end, it culminated with the defendant (Gates) and his friends walking up to Raymond Parker while he was outside a home … Mr. Parker was unarmed and having a drink. Mr. Gates walked up to him, shot and killed him …”

 

In accordance to a negotiated plea deal with the state, Gates pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

 

The state recommended a Gates serve a net sentence of 28 years to serve 20 – with five of those years to be served on probation.

 

Presiding Troup County Superior Court Judge Dennis Blackmon followed the state’s recommendation. Blackmon also allowed Gates to be granted credit for the time he has already served behind bars, which is seven years.

 

Teen pleads guilty to armed robbery, gang charges

 

A 16-year-old boy accused of robbing a pizza delivery driver at gunpoint pleaded guilty to several charges on Wednesday in a Troup County Superior Courtroom.

 

Triston Kaleb Williams was 15 years old at the time of the crime but was charged as an adult, according to court officials.

 

Williams was charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault and two counts of violating Georgia’s street gang terrorism and prevention act.

 

The teen and at least two other youths waited for the pizza delivery driver at a home in the 700 block of Chattahoochee Street in April, 2016, explained Troup County Assistant District Attorney Brett Adams.

 

When the victim arrived at the house, Williams and the other defendants produced a long gun and robbed the driver of money, pizza and other items, Adams told the court.

 

LaGrange Police investigators reportedly found the phone used to call the restaurant to place the order and the weapon, which had two .16 caliber bullets inside the gun, court officials stated.

 

“One of the defendants said they (Williams and friends) were going to commit a ‘quick lick,’ which means they were going to commit a crime for quick money,” Adams explained.

 

The state recommended the teen 15 years to serve seven years behind bars. Prosecutor Adams said the state would suspend three years off the sentence if Williams successfully completes a Department of Corrections boot camp.

 

The D.A.’s office also asked Williams pay restitution in the amount of $116 to Domino’s Pizza and have no contact with the victim or other gang members.

 

The teen’s defense attorney asked Judge Blackmon to allow his client credit for time already served.

 

“This was obviously a really bad decision on my client’s part,” stated Defense Attorney Rod Skiff. “…. It’s hard to work across the street in the (Troup County) juvenile court system … and then come over to here to see a child in this (Troup County Superior Court) system.”

 

Judge Blackmon followed the recommendation of the state and gave Williams credit for time served.

 

Williams’ family members sat in the courtroom and cried as the teen was led out of the room in handcuffs.

 

Man pleads guilty in shooting incident

 

A 19-year-old man accused of firing multiple gunshots inside a local apartment complex pleaded guilty to the charges against him Wednesday afternoon.

Joseph Jewell Porter, 19, reportedly shot at another man and an employee of the Tall Pines apartment complex at 150 Turner Street in August, 2015.

Porter allegedly was arguing with the victim over a female acquaintance when he pulled out a gun and started firing, stated LaGrange Police Lt. Dale Strickland in a Daily News article dated Aug. 6.

The 19-year-old man was originally charged with two counts of aggravated assault, one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and one count of participation in a criminal street gang.

Strickland told the Daily News Porter is a known member of the Bloods criminal street gang.

Troup County Assistant District Attorney Drew Case recommended Porter serve a total of 15 years to serve 36 months behind bars, plus attend a Department of Corrections boot camp and anger management classes.

Presiding Superior Court Judge Dennis Blackmon sentenced Porter in accordance with the state but had a stern warning for the teen.

“You did shoot at some people and you can’t do that … This is coming from me … get yourself straight … You could’ve killed someone. What you did was very dangerous,” Blackmon stated.

 

Melanie Ruberti is a reporter with LaGrange Daily News. She can be reached at 706-884-7311, ext. 2156.