Georgia legislators allocated more than a quarter million dollars in the upcoming budget for two gang prosecutors in Savannah.
The specialized prosecutors would be based in “the Savannah region” and work under the Georgia Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit, according to budget documents.
The $268,464 line item was included last week in an appropriations bill that awaits Gov. Brian Kemp’s signature before becoming a part of the state’s fiscal year 2026 budget. Kemp originally asked for four prosecutors but received two after budget negotiations with the Georgia Senate.
The two new attorneys will go to work with Brooklyn Franklin, AG Chris Carr’s current gang prosecutor for Southeast Georgia. The Chatham County District Attorney’s office would work in concert with them.
“Our offices routinely discuss strategy and training opportunities and support the mission to prevent violent crime in the Eastern Judicial Circuit,” according to Katherine Wideman, a spokesperson for Chatham DA Shalena Cook Jones.
The news comes as Franklin and the AG’s unit plan to present a multicount gang indictment to a Chatham County grand jury next week, according to documents reviewed by The Current.
The presentment will describe multiple crimes committed on behalf of a Savannah gang, including aggravated assaults, armed robbery, financial theft, carjacking, possessing a weapon and concealing evidence, according to the documents.
The Current is reporting on the AG’s office activities, and not naming the individuals involved, because a grand jury has not yet heard or decided on the case.
AG Chris Carr’s office declined to comment on the upcoming presentment.
Regarding the expansion of prosecutors, Carr’s office said its regional model has been successful — netting gang indictments in Augusta and Bryan County. Carr, who is also running for governor in 2026, has gang prosecutors in Albany, Columbus, and Macon.
“With this regional model, we’re able to work more closely and effectively with all levels of law enforcement to build strong cases that ultimately lead to safer communities,” Kara Murray, spokesperson for the AG’s office, said.
The cases handled by Carr’s office and others deal with a narrow legal framework — not only do prosecutors have to prove a person committed a crime, but also they have to prove that the person did the crime on behalf of a street gang. That nexus is what makes a crime a gang-motivated crime, instead of a gang-related crime.
It’s part of Georgia’s Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, detailed in a recent article in The Current about Glynn County’s dubious use of gang statistics.
Data reporter Maggie Lee assisted in reporting this story.
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