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OFFICE OF THE DEKALB COUNTY
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
DEKALB JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
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NEWS FROM DISTRICT ATTORNEY SHERRY BOSTON
Spring 2026
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Greetings,
The 2026 Georgia legislative session may be over, but the effects could be long lasting. In the final days of the session, Republicans at the State Capitol passed a bill that would fundamentally change local elections in just five metro-Atlanta counties – Cobb, Clayton, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett.
House Bill 369 started as a bill to regulate safety features for food trucks, but the Senate Committee on Ethics stripped out the language of the original bill and replaced it with a bill to change some elections from partisan to nonpartisan. In DeKalb County, HB 369 would change the races for District Attorney, Tax Commissioner, Clerk of Superior Court, and Solicitor-General from partisan to nonpartisan beginning in 2028.
This legislation has been positioned by Republicans as a way to depoliticize local races, but my colleagues and I see this for what it is–a blatant political power grab. I would support the move to nonpartisan elections for these offices if they applied equally to all of Georgia’s 159 counties. Instead, House Bill 369 is a direct attack on the Democrats who hold office in metro Atlanta, and a desperate attempt by Republicans to win elected office by hiding their political affiliation from voters. I strongly urge Governor Brian Kemp to veto this unconstitutional legislation. If he does not veto the bill, my colleagues and I are prepared to file a lawsuit against the State of Georgia.
While this development is deeply disappointing and we do not yet know if or how it will impact our community, the mission of the Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney has not changed. My team and I work diligently each and every day to keep everyone in this community safe.
Accordingly, I am thrilled to announce that it was another record-breaking year for the Love Run 5K. We hosted the largest race in Love Run history with more than 500 registered participants, and set a fundraising record generating more than $33,000 for the Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence! I’m incredibly grateful to the sponsors, fundraisers, teams, vendors, volunteers, and organizers who helped make the 11th Annual Love Run 5K a huge success.
Finally, May is recognized as Missing and Unidentified Persons Month. As part of the DeKalb County Cold Case Task Force, our office is working with the DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office to organize the 4th Annual Missing Persons and DNA Event. The goals of the event are to raise awareness of unidentified remains cases in DeKalb County, accept missing persons reports, and collect DNA for law enforcement databases. The event will take place on Sunday, May 17, 2026, during the Avondale Estates Farmers Market on the Town Green. Whether you know someone who is missing, or are interested in learning more about the Cold Case Task Force and our efforts to reunite people with their loved ones, I hope you will join us.
As always, thank you for entrusting me with this work. I’m grateful for your support. It is my honor and my privilege to serve as your DeKalb County District Attorney.
Sincerely,
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District Attorney
DeKalb Judicial Circuit
| | Conviction in Series of Sexual Assaults | | |
MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN SERIES OF SEXUAL
ASSAULTS DATING BACK TO 2012
DA Boston announced a conviction in a series of four sexual assault cases that occurred in DeKalb County between 2012 and 2017. Wesley Cooley, 64, pleaded guilty to Kidnapping with Bodily Injury, Aggravated Sodomy, Criminal Attempt to Commit Rape, and Aggravated Assault stemming from assaults against four female victims (ages 16 to 28 at the time). DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Gregory A. Adams sentenced Defendant Cooley to Life Without the Possibility of Parole, plus 50 years to serve consecutively.
Each of the four cases follows a similar fact pattern where Defendant Cooley approached young women who were alone, offered them a ride or other assistance, then drove them to a second location and assaulted them. He was arrested after an attempted rape in October 2017, but Cooley was not connected to additional assaults until the Georgia Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Task Force (GASAKI) began investigating.
Working in partnership with the Conyers, DeKalb and Atlanta Police Departments, GASAKI found evidence that identified Defendant Cooley as a suspect in an April 2017 rape. GASAKI secured a warrant for a DNA sample from Cooley, and confirmed in January 2020 he was a positive DNA match to several cases across the metro area. He was arrested in February 2020.
GASAKI was established in 2018 in partnership with the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) as part of a multi-year, multi-million dollar federal grant under the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative. The team consists of prosecutors, investigators, and victim advocates from the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office, the Prosecuting Attorneys Council (PAC), and CJCC (with resources from Bridging Hope) working collaboratively to solve cold case sexual assault crimes.
Read more about the conviction of Wesley Cooley.
| | Love Run 5K Raises More Than $33,000! | | |
Article written by Lillian McAllister, Communications Intern
Lillian is pictured below with DA Boston.
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On Saturday, February 28, DA Boston hosted the 11th Annual Love Run 5K on the Decatur Square. The event raises awareness about teen dating violence and supports domestic violence survivors in commemoration of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.
DA Boston created the Love Run 5K in 2016 while serving as DeKalb County Solicitor-General. Proceeds from the race benefit the critical work of the Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence (WRCDV). WRCDV provides emergency shelter and vital resources to survivors of domestic violence, and recently expanded their mission to include survivors of sexual assault.
It was another record-breaking year for the Love Run 5K. DA Boston hosted the largest race in Love Run history with more than 500 registered participants, and set a fundraising record generating more than $33,000 for WRCDV!
As an intern I had the opportunity to be involved in multiple parts of the event process. I was able to participate in pre-planning that went into organizing the Love Run, assisted staff on the day of the event, and later sat in on the post-event meeting where the team reflected on how everything went and discussed ways to improve for the future. Seeing both the preparation and the evaluation stages gave me a better understanding of the amount of coordination and teamwork that goes into hosting a successful event.
During the Love Run I had the chance to engage with vendors, participants and volunteers throughout the day. It was a great experience that was both fun and exciting. Everyone was eager to learn more about Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month and WRCDV’s work with survivors.
The Love Run 5K showcases the strong community support here in DeKalb County for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Witnessing the impact firsthand and seeing community organizations, volunteers and the public come together to support WRCDV made the experience especially meaningful.
| | Missing Persons and DNA Event | |
Sunday, May 17, 2026
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
During the Avondale Estates Farmers Market on the Town Green
64 N. Avondale Rd., Avondale Estates, GA 30002
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On Sunday, May 17, 2026, the DeKalb County Cold Case Task Force will hold their 4th Annual Missing Persons and DNA Event during the Avondale Estates Farmers Market on the Town Green. The event, hosted by the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office and DeKalb County Medical Examiner's Office, will bring together law enforcement agencies, community organizations, and families with one shared goal, to help locate missing loved ones and bring attention to unresolved missing persons cases.
The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the farmers market, a central gathering place in the community. Representatives from the DA’s Office and the DeKalb County Police Department will be present to provide information, answer questions, and assist families. Individuals who have missing loved ones are able to file reports or add additional information to existing cases. These reports are then entered into national law enforcement and missing persons databases to help broaden the search.
Community members attending the event are encouraged to bring important documentation if they are filing a report, including photos of their missing loved one, pictures of tattoos (if applicable), copies of any original police reports, medical records, and identification documents. These materials help investigators build stronger profiles and gather the most accurate information possible. Please note, these items are helpful, but not required. You are encouraged to attend the event even if you do not have access to them.
By bringing these resources directly to the community, this event creates a space where families can receive guidance, share information, and take meaningful steps toward finding answers.
| | Blaise Barnett Kidnapper Sentenced to 30 Years for Crime Spree | | |
FOX 5
January 28, 2026
A DeKalb County judge has sentenced Dieu Doumdje to 30 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to a string of crimes across three separate cases.
Doumdje’s convictions include the high-profile kidnapping of a toddler, an armed robbery of students, and assisting in a jailbreak. For his actions across all three files, Doumdje pleaded guilty to theft by taking, kidnapping, reckless conduct, armed robbery, and aiding or permitting another to escape lawful custody.
Read the FOX 5 Story on Doumdje's sentencing.
| | | Driver Who Caused 5-year-old's Death Will Serve Five Years | | |
Decaturish
February 26, 2026
Michelle Wierson will serve five years in prison for causing the death of 5-year-old Miles Jenness in 2018.
DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Courtney Johnson sentenced Wierson to 15 years on Thursday, Feb. 26, with five years to be served and the rest on probation. The prosecution asked that she be sentenced to five years. Her defense team, after previously indicating they’d seek a probated sentence, asked for Wierson to serve three years. Her defense team previously rejected a plea offer that would’ve sentenced Wierson to serve two years, opting instead to take the case to trial.
Read the Decaturish story on Wierson's sentencing.
| | | DeKalb Man Sentenced for 'Broad Daylight' Gas Station Murder | | |
WSB-TV
March 18, 2026
A Lithonia man has been convicted after a deadly gas station shooting that prosecutors say unfolded in broad daylight.
The DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office announced that a jury found Antjuan Harrison, 27, guilty on March 12 in connection with the 2023 killing of Tori Dundas, 32.
Harrison was convicted of two counts of felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a machine gun, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and other related charges.
Watch the WSB-TV story on Harrison's sentencing.
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AJC Article During Black History Month
During Black History Month, DA Boston was featured by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution alongside several of her fellow District Attorneys serving the metro area who are also women of color. The article highlighted the importance of representation in the criminal justice system, the power in numbers as their ranks have grown in recent years, as well as the support the women provide to each other.
“When Boston first took office in early 2017, she was Georgia’s only Black woman DA. That once-exclusive club has expanded significantly since then.
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Salute to Sisterhood
DA Boston attended State Senator Sonya Halpern, GA SD39's SisterCircle Soiree, an evening of connection, conversation, and celebration of the strength and leadership of women. She was honored to be named a 2026 Recipient of Senator Sonya’s Salute to Sisterhood alongside several phenomenal women who are making a lasting impact in the community.
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Major County Prosecutors Council Meeting
The DA’s Office hosted the Winter Major County Prosecutors Council meeting with the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys. During the meeting, attendees spoke about community focused gun violence initiatives, cold case strategies, victim centered responses to mass violence, digital forensics, strengthening law enforcement partnerships, and several more topics impacting prosecution offices across the country.
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Fourth Amendment Training
The DA’s Office hosted a Fourth Amendment Legal Update and Practical Application training session alongside the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. The course provided a comprehensive refresher on the constitutional standards governing search and seizure under the Fourth Amendment to more than 50 DA Investigators and law enforcement officers from throughout the county. The training reinforced officers’ understanding of lawful policing practices, updated them on relevant case law, and strengthened their ability to apply legal principles in the field. Thank you to the facilitators of the course, as well as the DeKalb PD, ATF, Brookhaven PD, Chamblee PD, Decatur PD, Doraville PD, the DeKalb Marshal’s Office and the DeKalb County School District Department of Public Safety for attending.
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PAC Winter Conference Presentations
Staff from the DA’s Office gave training presentations at the 2026 Winter Conference and Complex Homicide Conference, both hosted by the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia.
At Winter Conference, Sam d’Entremont, Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney with the Appeals & Litigation Support Unit, gave a Case Law Update, and Director of Training Drew Healy shared the presentation, “I’m Done Closing: What Could Go Wrong?”
Chief Assistant District Attorney Eddie Chase presented “Prosecuting Child Murders: Effective Strategies for Presenting Medical Evidence” at the Complex Homicide Conference.
| | DA Boston attended the District Attorneys’ Association of Georgia’s inaugural Prosecutor Day breakfast at the State Capitol. Georgia Senators, Representatives, District Attorneys, and Solicitors-General from across the state gathered to connect and collaborate under the Gold Dome. | |  | DA Boston read to children at Rockbridge Elementary School in Stone Mountain as part of Read Across DeKalb, a districtwide celebration that brings district leaders, community members, and special guests into schools to read with students, spark imagination, and help build a lifelong love of literacy. | | DA Boston attended the National District Attorneys Association’s 2026 Prosecutor Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C. alongside several fellow Georgia prosecutors. She connected with congressional leaders and policymakers on Capitol Hill. | | | DA Boston attended the DeKalb County Fire Rescue Department’s reception celebrating Public Safety Director Darnell Fullum. The reception recognized Director Fullum’s nearly 12 years of dedicated service, leadership, and commitment to DeKalb County Fire Rescue before his promotion to Public Safety Director. | | Staff members with the Firearm Violence Prevention Unit, Senior Assistant District Attorney TyShawn Jackson and Investigator Christopher Usiak, attended the City Schools of Decatur School Safety & Security Summit. They spoke with attendees about the importance of firearm safety and handed out free gun safes and gun locks. | | | Kelly McMichael, Director of Operations & Special Projects, and Data Analyst Latoya Dailey, participated in the 4th Annual Developing Data Analytics Capabilities Conference at the University of Georgia. Sessions focused on innovative practices and core skills for effective data governance, best practices in data strategy, building data analytics skills, and innovative practices in data storytelling. | | DA Boston traveled to Princeton University with Chief of Staff, Jenni Stolarski, and Director of Communications, Claire Chaffins, to attend the Symposium on Ethical Communications in Criminal Cases hosted by the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys. | | | DA Boston attended the ribbon cutting and church dedication of The Faith Center. Congratulations to Pastor Vincent Campbell and First Lady Felicia Campbell on this historic milestone, and thank you for your steadfast leadership. | | Staff attended the Leading the Charge Awards Luncheon hosted by DeKalb Pro Bono. The event recognizes the work of attorneys who help to ensure that everyone in the community has equal access to civil legal services and justice. DeKalb Pro Bono Board President Kamilah Miller, also serves as the Director of the DA’s Child Support Recovery (UIFSA) Division. | | | Members of the Victim Services and Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault units participated in the 25th annual Stand With Survivors Day (SWSD) at the Capitol. SWSD is an opportunity for concerned Georgians across the state to demand attention be paid to the most pressing intimate partner and sexual violence-related legislative issues. | | Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Franklin Engram of the Crimes Against Elder Persons and Adults with Disabilities Unit spoke with a group of seniors at the East Central DeKalb Community & Senior Center about avoiding common scams and how seniors can protect themselves. | | | Latonia Hines and Jennifer Scacco with the Crime Strategies & Community Partnerships Unit attended the DeKalb County Police Department Tucker Precinct’s Coffee with a Cop event and connected with members of the community and law enforcement partners. | | In recognition of Women’s History Month, DA Boston was invited to present to 8th graders at St. Thomas More School, Decatur, GA on the theme of “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future.” She spoke to the students about how women build civic power through the lens of her own journey as an elected prosecutor and mentor to other women seeking elected office. | | | Michael Costello, Senior Assistant District Attorney with the Crime Strategies and Community Partnerships Unit, participated in a Q&A session with college students during Law Enforcement Learning Day at the Atlanta Police Foundation’s At-Promise Youth Center. He spoke about career opportunities in law enforcement and shared information about internship opportunities with the DA’s Office. | | Jennifer Scacco, Senior Assistant District Attorney with the Crime Strategies and Community Partnerships Unit, and Michael Sarvis, Deputy Chief Investigator of Training, Security and Logistics, attended the DeKalb Municipal Association Meeting held at Decatur Legacy Park. | | | Senior Assistant District Attorney Latonia Hines in the Crime Strategies and Community Partnerships Unit attended the DeKalb County Police Department's East Precinct Coffee with a Cop event at Waffle House. | | | | Join the conversation @SherryBostonDA | | | | |
