Two Memphis Men Indicted for Kidnaping, Robbery and Firearms

ATLANTA - Mario Deandre Jackson and Leon Scott have been indicted by a federal grand jury for robbery, kidnaping and firearms crimes relating to a home invasion in the Buckhead community on May 25, 2015.

During the home invasion, a family was held at gunpoint and one victim was forcibly removed from the home and made to withdraw money from his bank account.

“These men are charged with terrorizing an Atlanta family, including their three minor children during a violent home invasion,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John Horn.  “They allegedly traveled to Georgia from outside the state for the purpose of robbing the family, and forcing them at gunpoint to remove money from an ATM and to turn over other valuables, including a wedding band.  The arrests in this case occurred through the collaborative efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers determined to solve this particularly heinous crime.” 

“The identification, apprehension, and resulting federal grand jury indictments of Jackson and Scott regarding their alleged involvement in a violent Atlanta area home invasion was brought about by a collaborate law enforcement effort covering numerous jurisdictions and demonstrates the true value of such a combined investigative approach.  The FBI will continue to dedicate significant investigative assets and resources as we partner with area law enforcement in addressing violent crime in the region,” said J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office.

“After many long hours of exhaustive work by Investigators of the Atlanta Police Department, who worked jointly with our federal partners, I am pleased that these individuals who targeted our neighborhoods are behind bars and no longer a threat.  The Atlanta Police Department will continue to work closely with the US Attorney’s Office and the FBI on these cases to ensure any other involved parties are identified and similarly charged,” said Atlanta Police Chief George N. Turner.

According to Acting U.S. Attorney Horn, the indictment, and other information presented in court: On May 25, 2015, a home invasion robbery was committed in the Atlanta, Georgia, Buckhead community by two armed assailants who entered a family’s home.  At the time of the robbery, the house was occupied by a husband and wife and their three minor children.  One of the robbers forced the husband at gunpoint to go with one of them to a Wells Fargo ATM machine and withdraw money, while the other robber held the remaining family members at gunpoint to ensure the husband’s cooperation.  Through a Crime Stoppers tip, police learned that the robbers traveled from Memphis, Tennessee, and returned there with the stolen goods.  Police then recovered one of the items taken during the robbery – a wedding band – at a Memphis pawn shop.

On July 9th, 2015, Georgia State Patrol officers stopped a car in which Jackson was a passenger and found him with two firearms, both of which had been stolen during other robberies in Atlanta and Memphis.  Scott was arrested separately in a motel in Birmingham, Alabama on July 24th, 2015.

Mario Deandre Jackson, 28, of Memphis, Tennessee, and Leon Scott, 25, of Memphis, Tennessee, will be arraigned at a later date.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges.  The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Atlanta Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan K. Buchanan and Kim S. Dammers are prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.