2 Accused Of Woodstock Armed Robbery Sentenced To Prison

WOODSTOCK, GA — Two men were sentenced to prison in connection with a December 2019 armed robbery that Cherokee County Acting District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway said was gang-related.

Treadaway announced Friday that Dante Dashawn Woods, 22, pled guilty on March 17 to violation of Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He was sentenced to 25 years with the first 12 years to be served in prison without parole. Treadaway said Woods was banned from Cherokee County and is forbidden to have contact with known gang members or associates.

His co-defendant, Jahlen Merritt, 22, pled guilty on July 12, 2022, on unknown charges and was sentenced to 20 years with the first 10 years to serve in prison without parole, Treadaway said.

Charges against Woods and Merritt stem from a Dec. 5, 2019, armed robbery in the parking lot behind Chattahoochee Technical College in Woodstock, Treadaway said.

Woods was accused of pointing a gun at the victim while Merritt was accused of taking his wallet, iPhone and a single AirPod. Merritt was accused of using a mobile finance application to steal money from the victim's bank account by transferring the funds to himself.

Later that day, Treadaway said Merritt and two more unknown males used the same gun and car to commit an armed robbery in Cobb County.

"What was significant about this second armed robbery was the addition of a red bandana Merritt wore over his face," read a news release from the district attorney's office.

"In the Bloods gang, the presence of a red bandana represents allegiance to the gang and is commonly carried or worn during the commission of criminal activity to give credit to the gang and to instill fear of the gang in the community. The state’s evidence showed that Merritt earned the right to display the red bandana as a 'flag' for the Bloods in the second armed robbery based on his participation in the initial crime."

After receiving a description of the suspects, Woodstock Police used an electronic receipt from the mobile finance app to identify Merritt, and then, issued a be on the lookout alert to local agencies, Treadaway said.

Marietta Police saw Merritt's car on Dec. 8, 2019, and arrested both Woods and Merritt. Treadaway said Woods was identified by his face tattoos.

“After a review of the evidence, we were able to conclude that Woods is a member of the Bloods criminal street gang and recruited Merritt to the gang through the commission of these violent crimes,” Assistant District Attorney Megan S. Hertel said in the release. “In order to make a meaningful impact on gang activity within our community, it is necessary to address recruitment into criminal street gangs, and a collaborative effort was made to do that here.”

Cell phone extraction, social media, music videos, facial tattoos, jail visits and phone calls and gang activity within the jail were used as evidence in the case, Treadaway said in the release.

She said key information was found on Woods and Merritt's cell phones, including a conversation between the two men discussing committing "licks," or what she said were crimes and armed robberies. She said in a second conversation found on the phones, Merritt asked Woods about going on his "walk," which Treadaway said is a term used to describe gang initiation through the act of criminal activity.

“Many Cherokee County residents may be shocked to hear that the Bloods, one of the most dangerous criminal street gangs, are in our community committing these sorts of crimes," Treadaway said in the release. "Our goal is to eradicate criminal street gangs in Georgia. With the continued diligence of law enforcement in this mission, we will do just that. I commend Woodstock, Cobb County and Marietta police departments for working together to ensure a quick arrest and thorough investigation of this crime.”