Gang Member Dejuan Rowland Gets 30-Month Federal Prison Sentence

  • Friday, December 6, 2019

A 21-year-old who prosecutors say has been caught with a gun at least five times was sentenced on Friday to serve 30 months in federal prison.

Dejuan "Green Light" Rowland appeared before Federal Judge Travis McDonough.

Jackson Whetsel, of the federal public defender's office, said Rowland in the past had some gang affiliations.

Prosecutor Chris Poole said, "He's dangerous. To say that Dejuan Rowland has gang affiliations is like saying Dale Murphy has some baseball affiliations."

He said Rowland, upon returning to a local school, had announced, "I'm a Crip killer" and immediately started a fight.

Judge McDonough noted that Rowland was caught in a "reverse sting" by ATF. He said it was highly unusual for the agency to use such a sting and that Rowland must have especially caught their attention.

Attorney Whetsel, on the lack of a stable work record for Rowland, said he had been occupied helping take care of his grandmother and his partially paralyzed brother. Prosecutor Poole said the brother had been shot in an incident in which their mother drove them to a confrontation with the Crips. He said Dejuan Rowland got out of the car to begin shooting, then the brother was hit by a bullet.

The prosecutor said the mother has also faced federal charges.

Rowland, identified as a validated Bounty Hunter gang member, had been arrested in April after a "reverse buy-bust." Authorities said a reverse buy-bust is when an undercover agent makes a sale of contraband and then arrests that person.

The FBI says Rowland contacted the undercover agent about purchasing a Glock 19 9mm pistol for $250.

Rowland was earlier convicted of robbery in Davidson County on Nov. 28, 2018, it was stated.

A meeting was arranged at the Staybridge Suites /Baymont Inn off Shallowford Road. Rowland arrived at 12:45 p.m. and met with the undercover agent.

Rowland handed over $250 and then picked up a bag containing the gun. He took the gun out of the bag and "dry-fired" it. It was noted that he did not first check to see if the gun was loaded.

He then appeared satisfied and took it back to his vehicle. He was then arrested at the parking lot.

The firearm was recovered along with the cell phone that Rowland was using.

The judge said Rowland tends to commit crimes "that are really, really disruptive to society" and is "consistently dismissive to authority."

Attorney Whetsel had argued for a 24-month sentence. He also noted that some of Rowland's mistakes may have been related to his youthfulness, while noting an individual may not begin making sound decisions until about 25. On that basis, prosecutor Poole said, Rowland should be kept in prison until he is 25 in four years.  

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