Gwinnett County Police responded to a report of an armed robbery at Grayson Manor Drive in Loganville on Aug. 11, 2012. The victims reported that while they were on their way to the pool in their subdivision, they were approached by Michael Paul,16, who asked for the phone number of a family member of one of the victims. When he didn’t get an answer, he left. However, he reportedly returned a few minutes later with another juvenile, Rovontis Smith, 16, of Loganville.
According to the incident report, Paul pulled out a black semi-automatic handgun and struck one of the victims in the face. When a second victim tried to intervene, he was reportedly struck with the gun too. Smith allegedly attacked one of the victims while Paul held the other victim off at gunpoint.
The victims reported that Paul was angry because someone had told the teachers at Grayson High School that he was stealing iPods and iPads. The two subjects then reportedly went through the pockets of the victims, stealing a phone and iPod before running off and getting into a car with a third person. The victims knew Smith and Paul as having attended GHS the previous year. Gwinnett County Public School spokesman Jorge Quintana said there is no record of either student being currently enrolled in GCPS.
Both subjects were picked up in November and charged with armed robbery. Smith had since turned 17 and is being held in the Gwinnett County Detention Center without bond. Paul is being held at the Gwinnett County Youth Detention Center. Both are being charged as adults.
I worked in intervention for many years, and saw results, but didn't see real results until I worked as a drill instructor in a juvenile boot camp. We provided both deterrence and intervention (after we got their attention). Sorry, but I do not feel sorry for either of them. Do the crime - do the time.