FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — The defendants were just 13, 14, and 16 years old when prosecutors said they violently armed robbed two pizza delivery drivers in separate crimes.
Now the three teenagers, who the Fulton County District Attorney's Office said are members of a prominent street gang, will have to spend serious time behind bars.
On Tuesday, 16-year-old De'Quandre Weaver, 18-year-old Tyyneefah Wells, and 15-year-old Anthony Cleveland, learned their fate in court for the crimes that occurred in 2017.
Prosecutors said that on July 6 of that year, Wells called Marco's Pizza in College Park to have them deliver food to an abandoned house on Smoke Ridge Drive. When the driver arrived, prosecutors said he was attacked by Wells and then-14-year-old Weaver.
As the delivery driver tried to get away, he was shot in the arm, hip, and groin. Though critically wounded, he managed to escape in his car when the teens left the scene.
It was cell phone video captured by Weaver after the shooting that gave authorities more insight on what happened that night. The video, which contains graphic language, was presented in court, prosecutors said.
“Mane y'all [expletive] paranoid," the teen said on the video while holding a gun in his hand. I just shot that [expletive]. [Expletive] you talking bout."
You can hear others in the background as they describe what happened.
"Did you shoot him in the car or out of the car?" someone asked.
"When he was hopping inside of the car, I popped him," he replied.
As he continues to discuss the shooting, he calls the crime "funny."
“When I did him like this, he said, '[expletive] this job, you can have the pizza,'' the defendant explained. "I said, '[expletive] that, I want the money and your car.' He said, 'this all I got in my pocket.' He pulled out that wallet. I thought I seen a $20."
Weaver received the longest sentence for his involvement, with 20 years to serve on the charges of armed robbery, hijacking a motor vehicle, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with intent to murder, participation in criminal street gang activity, and others.
But the July 6, 2017 crime wasn't the only robbery the group was accused of. Authorities said the very next day, a similar situation happened involving another pizza delivery driver.
The district attorney's office said Wells called a Papa John's to deliver at a home along Buckhurst trial. When the 31-year-old driver arrived, a gun was placed at the back of her head. Wells, Weaver and then-13-year-old Cleveland allegedly punched the driver in the face.
The victim's wallet was stolen and the teens left in her vehicle, prosecutors said. The teens were later arrested when police located the stolen car.
All three pleaded guilty to the charges connected with both crimes and were sentenced to prison as adults.
A judge sentenced Wells to 15 years with eight to serve. Cleveland was also handed a 15-year sentence, but with four years to serve.
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