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A lawsuit was filed against 6 people for allegedly conspiring to kill detention center officers in Georgia
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A lawsuit was filed against 6 people for allegedly conspiring to kill detention center officers in Georgia

ATLANTA (AP) — Six people, including a Georgia detention center officer and several members of the GoodFellas gang, have been charged with conspiring to kill two of the police officer’s co-workers for money and other drug and firearms crimes, federal prosecutors said Tuesday.

Latasha Baker, 38, of Hampton, Georgia, was working at the Fulton County Jail, and Matthew Freeman, 36, of Glennville, Georgia, was serving a sentence for armed robbery at the Valdosta County Jail, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. he said in a news release. The two allegedly conspired with pretrial detainee Wayne Alford, 27, of Milledgeville, to recruit and pay people to kill at least two detention officers who were interfering with Alford’s smuggling and drug smuggling operations, prosecutors said.

The sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to questions about Baker’s employment status. The conspirators communicated from inside the jail and prison using smuggled cell phones.

Carlos Pearson, 33, of College Park, and Jayden Barnes, 19, of Atlanta, allegedly agreed to commit the murders for $1,000 each, according to the news release.

The plan was foiled after targeted detention officers found tracking devices attached to the underside of their vehicles.

A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment on Oct. 22 that was unsealed Monday.

“It is unthinkable and deplorable that one of our detention officers would conspire to murder one or more of his co-workers,” said Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat. “This indictment highlights the seriousness of the allegations and the importance of accountability. “We must ensure that those charged with public safety adhere to the highest standards of conduct and that breaches of that trust are met with swift justice.”

Alford, Freeman and Baker were each charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, one count of drug trafficking conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to possess a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

Jaheim Arnold, 21, of Atlanta, was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, one count of drug trafficking conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to possess a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. He was also charged with one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and one count of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.

Pearson and Barnes were each indicted on two counts of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire.

“These defendants demonstrated a callous disregard for human life as they allegedly plotted to kill detention officers who threatened their illegal drug and trafficking activities at the Fulton County Jail,” U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said in a statement.

“No law enforcement officer should fear for his or her life simply because they are performing their sworn duty,” said Sean Burke, acting special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta. “We are extremely grateful that this plot was thwarted before harm could come to any of the targeted individuals.”