YouTube justice brings Atlanta conviction; suspect sentenced to 15 years

Several Atlanta homeowners who used YouTube to help catch burglars at their home got video vindication Wednesday when one bandit was convicted.

Fulton Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter sentenced DeGiorio Jackson to 15 years in prison for burglarizing Dan and Alyssa Kopp's Grant Park home on Oct. 27, 2008.

Jackson is a co-defendant on a separate burglary indictment in DeKalb County that links him to burglaries at east Atlanta homeowner Larry Riley's home and another Decatur home within an hour of hitting the Kopp’s home, and a theft ring selling laptop computers, flat screen TVs and other stolen electronics.

And YouTube helped lead investigators to dismantling the entire illegal operation, Fulton County Assistant District Attorney Claire Farley said.

“This case pretty much was investigated and solved by the victims,” Farley said. "Decatur and DeKalb (police) really did a lot of work, but they weren't able to pull it all together."

The Kopps and Riley posted separate videos of their respective homes being burglarized to the popular online site, and watched as tips came in to their in-boxes.

“It’s up to the community to protect themselves, and that’s unfortunate,” Baxter said Thursday before sentencing Jackson. “If it hadn’t been for technology, police wouldn’t have solved this.”

Jackson went limp in his chair and had to be helped up by Fulton County Sheriff's deputies when he heard the judge's sentence, which also included five years of probation.

"I'm a good person," he said when he had a chance to speak before Baxter.

Jackson's attorney, Matt Hirsch, asked for a shorter sentence. Jackson pleaded not guilty. Hirsch said his client was at work at the time of the burglaries.

Jackson's mother, Martane Jackson, kicked a door on her way out of the courtroom after hearing the judge's sentence.

"This was case of mistaken identity," she said. "I think he's being made an example for the crime that has become a sore over this whole county."

Riley, who lives near Atlanta’s Morningside neighborhood in DeKalb County, looked at his video of the burglary and passed it around his office.

Someone working with him directed him to the video the Kopps had put up of their own burglary.

“Three robberies all happened within 40 minutes of one another,” Riley said. “I sent a message to Dan.”

In the Kopps' video, Jackson -- sporting dreadlocks and a green sweatshirt -- is seen kicking the door in with two other men and running into the home. Within seconds, the trio are back out the door with a TV and several other items.

Riley's video shows Jackson carrying a gun and pulling a black sweatshirt over his head before entering the home with three accomplices.

In the footage, Jackson leads the crew out a back door and is shown carrying the stolen flat screen, gun still in hand, and his dreaded head and face exposed.

Riley enhanced the video posted on YouTube to add his own commentary, pointing out the gun, and joking about the way Jackson points the gun at a partner.

"Too bad he didn't shoot the guy behind him," the comment said.

Eventually, the victims came together, compared notes and learned that at least one of the suspects – Jackson – was in both videos, authorities said.

Tipsters replying to both videos said they recognized Jackson and other perpetrators as the same ones seen selling computers, flat screen TVs and other electronics from a house on Mark Trail near Decatur, authorities said.

The day after the burglaries, police raided the home and arrested six people, including Jackson and 23-year-old Kenneth Jackson (no apparent relation), who were named together on the Fulton indictment for the Kopp burglary.

And when investigators working with Farley hit a wall with evidence from the Kopps’ video, Riley’s footage was used to bolster – and eventually win the case.

“Fortunately, we had a better quality video,” Riley said.

Jackson is due in a DeKalb court on Dec. 14 for burglaries at Riley's home and another Decatur home, authorities said.

As of now, he is set to serve his 15-year sentence at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson.