Two Lanier High School football players are facing suspensions following felony charges in connection with an armed robbery involving another student.
Marcko Baity and Colin “CJ” Burress were charged Monday with armed robbery and possession of marijuana after police say they and two others, one a juvenile, held a fellow student at gunpoint and stole his marijuana and gold chain.
According to a police report, fellow Lanier student Daniel Garcia-Morales was walking with a friend when three men and a juvenile in a car driven by Baity pulled up to him and asked if he had any marijuana. Garcia-Morales said he did, but it was for him and not for sale.
The alleged attackers asked Garcia-Morales to get in the car, according to the police report, and once he was inside demanded his marijuana. When Garcia-Morales refused to give away his marijuana again, the men allegedly snatched his book bag from his lap and punched him in the face.
On the third refusal, the juvenile aimed a gun, later discovered to be a realistic-looking powdered pellet gun, at Garcia-Morales’ face, the report said.
Garcia-Morales was able to get out of the car, but the men drove back another time, threw his book bag at him and demanded his wallet, cellphone and gold chain, the report said.
Garcia-Morales told police he ran behind some houses along Skyler Leigh Drive, but the juvenile and another man, Marco Lopez, caught up with him. This time the juvenile snatched his gold chain from around his neck as he had Garcia-Morales in a headlock while Lopez pointed the fake gun at him, according to the report. The snatching left a bloody ring around Garcia-Morales’ neck.
The alleged attackers also demanded Garcia-Morales’ wallet and phone and went as far as saying: “Don’t let the big guys have to handle this,” referring to Baity and Burress, according to the police report.
The four men left the scene by the time neighbors came outside to see what was going on. They were later found along Little Mill Road and arrested.
Baity is Lanier’s leading rusher with 291 yards and three touchdowns through two games. He rushed for 1,089 yards last season on the 2015 region championship team.
Burress, a defensive back, is also a starter and was a key member of that 2015 team. He committed to Kent State University last month.
Students arrested or charged with a felony are suspended from athletic activities until school officials can determine the student didn’t commit the alleged crime or charges are dropped, according to a statement from Gwinnett County Public Schools spokeswoman Sloan Roach.
The length also varies depending on if the student pleads guilty to a misdemeanor or is convicted of a felony.
Baity, Burress and Lopez remain in the Gwinnett County jail. The juvenile was taken to the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center.
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