GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County Police said Monday that they have arrested a 26-year-old Decatur man in connection with at least one in a series of robberies against Asian business owners over the past several months.
Investigators said in one particular case, on May 26, 2019, the victim was followed home from his business before he was assaulted, robbed and burglarized.
Police detectives from the Robbery Unit and the Burglary Unit were able to locate evidence from the scene which was processed and collected by Gwinnett County Police Crime Scene Investigators.
This evidence led to probable cause allowing 26-year-old Emmanuel Rakestraw to be charged in the case. Rakestraw is also under investigation for criminal street gang activity.
Due to the violent nature of the May 26 incident, along with the secondary investigation, Gwinnett County SWAT units served the arrest warrant on Wednesday, June 19 in Lithonia. Rakestraw was taken into custody without incident.
Detectives are still investigating leads and tips and are looking into any possible accomplices he may have had as well as looking into his possible connections to similar cases in Gwinnett County.
In a case that investigators said may be related, on Friday, May 21, deputies from the DeKalb Sheriff's Office Fugitive Unit arrested 19-year-old Earnest L. Sims of Decatur for two counts of armed robbery, two counts of aggravated assault and home invasion robbery.
Sims was tied to the robbery at Golden Express Chinese Cuisine.
Investigators said Sims was questioned by detectives from the DeKalb County Police Department, Conyers Police Department and the Gwinnett County Police Department. After questioning, Sims was transported to the DeKalb County Jail.
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