Ball Ground Man Sentenced For Aggravated Assault, Gun Possession

BALL GROUND, GA — A Ball Ground resident was sentenced recently for threatening his mother with a rifle and later firing the rifle when police were there.

Ball Ground resident Jamie Earl Jones, 42, was sentenced on Nov. 6 for two counts of aggravated assault, including aggravated assault on a peace officer, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Jones was found guilty by a Cherokee County jury after a two-day trial in October. The charges stem from an incident on July 30, 2017, in which Jones threatened his mother with a MAK-90 rifle and later fired the weapon when police were on the scene.

During a four-hour standoff, Jones barricaded himself in his mother’s house and would not answer the door for the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office SWAT team. After more than four hours, Jones came out of the house and was arrested.

During the trial, the victim testified that she saw her son use methamphetamine that day. She said she looked into his eyes, and it was like he wasn’t there. When she noticed that he had a gun outside, she tried to take the weapon away from him, but he grabbed the firearm and pointed it at her. She testified that she asked him if he was going to shoot his own mother, and he replied that he just might. Fearing for her safety, she ran inside the home and locked the door. When he entered the house through the basement door, she rushed out the front door to flag down a passing motorist.

“Jamie Earl Jones is a dangerous recidivist who pointed a semi-automatic rifle at his own mother, terrifying her to the point that she ran out into the street and begged a stranger for help,” said Assistant District Attorney Randall Ivey, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the state. “Fortunately, a passing motorist responded by getting her to safety and law enforcement was able to handle the situation without anyone getting hurt.”

Judge Anthony Baker sentenced Jones to 20 years, with the first 17 years to be served in confinement of the Department of Corrections and the remainder to be served on probation. Since the defendant is a recidivist and has been convicted on five previous occasions of felony offenses, he will be required to serve the entire 17 years in confinement with no possibility for parole. Once released from confinement, the special conditions of the sentence include no contact with his mother, banishment from Cherokee County, and no possession of alcohol, drugs, or firearms.

“Mr. Jones’ actions were senseless and dangerous. The four-hour standoff endangered many lives, including his own. Thankfully, our law enforcement officers were able to communicate with Mr. Jones and convince him to surrender with no loss of life or injuries,” said District Attorney Shannon Wallace. “Violent criminals like Mr. Jones should not be out on the street, and this sentencing will ensure that.”