Georgia
3 inmates, including man charged with murder, escape from Georgia jail
New Orleans DA talks about prison inmates escape investigation
Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams talks about his investigation into how 10 inmates managed to escape a New Orleans jail.
Authorities are searching for three inmates, including one charged with murder, who escaped from a county jail east of Atlanta on Dec. 22.
The three inmates fled from the DeKalb County Jail early on Dec. 22, according to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office. They were found missing during a routine security check, which prompted internal security teams to search the jail, the sheriff’s office said.
“We take this breach very seriously and are working diligently to ensure these individuals are safely returned to custody as quickly as possible,” DeKalb County Sheriff Melody M. Maddox said in a statement.
The sheriff’s office did not provide further details on how the inmates were able to escape from the jail, but said its fugitive unit and uniform patrol units were “actively searching” for the three men. Several local law enforcement agencies, along with the U.S. Marshals Service, are assisting in the search.
The sheriff’s office warned that the inmates might be armed and are considered dangerous. The agency said the public is “urged to exercise extreme caution and should not approach them,” adding that people with information regarding the men’s whereabouts are asked to contact authorities.
The DeKalb County Jail is located in Decatur, about 10 miles east of downtown Atlanta.
3 Georgia inmates facing multiple charges, including murder
The sheriff’s office said the three inmates were being held on multiple charges. The three men were identified as:
- Stevenson Charles, 24, is charged with murder and armed robbery.
- Yusuf Minor, 31, is charged with two counts of armed robbery and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
- Naod Yohannes, 25, is charged with simple assault, arson, and unlawful acts of violence in a penal institution.
The U.S. Marshals Service is mainly seeking the location of Charles, according to WSB-TV in Atlanta and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The agency described Charles as a violent fugitive, the television station reported.
The U.S. Marshals Service told WSB-TV that Charles has been “charged with, or convicted of, murder, aggravated assault, weapons violations, sodomy on a person less than 10 years old, kidnapping, carjacking, armed robbery and probation violations.”
In 2024, Charles pleaded guilty in Georgia to false imprisonment, aggravated sodomy, two counts of kidnapping, two counts of armed robbery, and two counts of aggravated assault, according to the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Before his guilty plea, the district attorney’s office said he was convicted in 2023 in a federal court in Florida for carjacking, kidnapping, and robbing five victims in Miami.
“Let the message go out to Mr. Charles and all other fugitives. We are looking for, and we will find you,” Thomas E. Brown, the U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Georgia, said in a statement, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Any person who violates the laws of the United States will not be allowed a moment of rest. You will never find peace. You will answer for your crimes.”
The U.S. Marshals Service did not respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment on Dec. 22.
Recent jailbreaks across the United States
The incident in Georgia is the latest jailbreak to occur in the United States this year. It also comes just weeks after another Georgia inmate escaped from custody at a hospital and used ride-hailing services, including an Uber ride, to evade sheriff’s deputies.
The inmate, identified as 52-year-old Timothy Shane, was captured after about three days in Covington, a small city located outside of Atlanta, authorities said.
On Dec. 19, authorities arrested the last of three inmates who escaped from a Louisiana jail in early December by removing mortar and concrete blocks from a degraded part of a wall.
In June, a former Arkansas police chief — convicted murderer and rapist Grant Hardin — was recaptured following a 12-day manhunt. Hardin had escaped from prison disguised as a guard and only made it over a mile away from the facility before he was found.
Earlier in the year, 10 inmates brazenly escaped from a New Orleans jail. Authorities previously said the inmates fled through a hole in a cell wall after ripping away a toilet and sink unit on the morning of May 16.
Most of the escapees were caught in the weeks after, and since then, multiple people have been charged with helping the inmates escape or stay on the run. The final inmate was recaptured on Oct. 8 in Atlanta, nearly five months after the escape.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY
Georgia
Democrats Are Ready to Reclaim Georgia. Is a Former Republican the Man for the Job?
NORCROSS, GEORGIA — Geoff Duncan, former Republican lieutenant governor of Georgia, won’t stop apologizing.
He’s sorry for supporting the state’s 2019 “heartbeat bill,” which bans abortion at around six weeks, after a fetal heartbeat is detected. He’s sorry for facilitating the passage of a “constitutional carry” bill in 2022, which allows most people to carry a concealed handgun with no license or background check. He’s also sorry for opposing Medicaid expansion, arguing at the time that it was not fiscally responsible.
“I’m sorry for those positions and any harm that they may have done,” Duncan told me.
Duncan first rose to prominence as one of the Republicans who resisted President Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn Joe Biden’s narrow 2020 win in Georgia. Duncan has been speaking out against what he calls Trump’s “toxic” and “dangerous” Republican Party since leaving office in 2023, and even endorsed Kamala Harris and spoke at the Democratic National Convention in 2024. After being excommunicated from the Georgia Republican Party in January 2025, Duncan switched parties in August. He is now running for governor as a Democrat in what will be one of the most closely watched races in the midterms.
Georgia
Georgia Tech salvages finale vs. North Carolina ahead of UGA matchup
Georgia Tech didn’t let the weekend get away.
The No. 2 Yellow Jackets were flying high with a 13-game win streak heading into the weekend showdown against No. 3 North Carolina. The Tar Heels took the first two games, but Tech salvaged the finale 5-2 on Sunday.
htiw eht eht pets stops llams detluser sgniknar ,llarevo sessol ni ni gnippilf dniheb ,kcab a .ALCU hceT htroN .oN roF aniloraC ,)CCA 5-61 1 7-23(
hcihw pot eht eht naht ekat desiar .m.p no fo erom .noillim ,puhctam si ni sah sucof evif reggib stifeneb ta ta sa rehtona launna dna wolleY yadseuT tsiurT ehT gnirpS )CES kraP .oN stekcaJ erachtlaeH aigroeG ,cissalC s’nerdlihC atnaltA 7 5 5-31 ,9-23( 5.4$
hcihw pot emit eht eht eht taht smaet deknar ni ni ni .evif tsrif htob nageb era gnirpS s’tI ,cissalC ,3002
sniw pot ot ot hguorht siht eht eht eht eht s’taht maet trats trats ecnis ecnis eludehcs nosaes-raluger .deknar deknar revo stnenoppo no ffo tsom tsal sti sti si si ni evah semag emag raey-tsrif yltnerruc tiderc ecnerefnoc hcaoc .yrutnec tseb tseb dna tsniaga a a wolleY ehT ehT hceT .yesmaR semaJ stekcaJ aigroeG 93 ,1102 0102 ,51 01
niw niw saw koot ot .oN-neht eht eht eht eht peews ,kaerts .seires degavlas revo no no no ffo fo puhctam ssol sgninni ni .elanif dedne thgie gnimoc erofeb erofeb dna dna a a CNU ehT hceT hceT raT etatS nrehtuoS s’yadrutaS htroN sleeH aigroeG yadirF adirolF aniloraC lirpA lirpA 11-9 2-5 5 4-41 41 9-31
Georgia
Gaudette & Patel Pitch Past No. 3 UNC, 5-2
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 2 Georgia Tech got back to its winning ways, defeating No. 3 North Carolina (33-7-1, 15-6 ACC) by a final score of 5-2 from Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Yellow Jackets (32-7, 16-5 ACC) held UNC in check from the third inning on, using 6.1 scoreless innings from Caden Gaudette and Mason Patel to salvage the series and collect its 10th Top 15 victory of the season for this first time this century.
After both teams traded runs in the first inning, the Jackets struck for three runs on three hits in the third. The inning started with a leadoff double from Drew Burress who was quickly brought to the plate by a single from Jarren Advincula. Vahn Lackey drew a walk off a full count before Kent Schmidt connected for an RBI double, bringing in Advincula for what would become the game-winning run. Lackey made it a three-run inning when he scored on an RBI groundout by Ryan Zuckerman. UNC would work the bases loaded and score a run in the bottom of the inning before Gaudette entered the game and induced an inning ending groundout. UNC wouldn’t get another runner into scoring position until the eight inning as Gaudette and Patel slammed the door on any potential comeback.
QUICK HITS: TEAM
- The Jackets improve to 32-7, the best start to a season since 2010. Tech is 16-5 in ACC play, the best start since 2011.
- Tech has won 32 of its first 39 games for only the 6th time in the program’s 131 seasons: 2010, 2003 2002, 1997, 1993 and now 2026.
- James Ramsey owns the best record by any GT head coach in his first season through 39 games (32-7).
- The Jackets improve to 8-1 in nationally televised games this season.
- Tech has now won 10 games over Top 15 opponents for the first time this century.
- Tech has scored 417 runs through their first 39 games. It’s the most runs Georgia Tech has recorded after 39 games in the program’s 131-year history and the most runs any Power 4 team has scored through 39 games in the BBCOR era (since 2011).
- The Jackets scoring average now stands at 10.7 runs/game this season. The program record is 10.3, set back in 1984.
- GT is outscoring its opponents 417-174, that +243 margin is the highest through 39 games in program history.
- The bullpen delivered 6.1 scoreless innings, marking the 15th scoreless outing of the season and second of the weekend.
QUICK HITS: THE BATS
- Junior Drew Burress produced his 17th multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored.
- He has scored 51 runs this season, one shy of Vahn Lackey for the most on the team. Burress has scored 201 runs over his career, tied with Danny Payne (2005-07) for the 11th most in Georgia Tech history.
- He becomes the first Yellow Jacket in the BBCOR era to record 200+ runs over a career.
- Junior Kent Schmidt went 2-for-4 with a go-ahead RBI double and a shift-beating bunt.
- He leads the team with 26 RBI in ACC play and has delivered 35 for the season.
- Schmidt has now collected extra base hits in three straight games for the first time this season and third time in his GT career.
- He finishes the series with a .500 average, going 4-for-8 with two doubles, a home run, three RBI, two runs scored and three walks
- Junior Jarren Advincula recorded his 24th multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
- He leads the ACC with 68 hits this season, averaging 1.7 hits per game and putting him on pace for 94 hits over the course of the regular season. With potential postseason games, that would put him in striking distance of being the first 100-hit player at GT since 2005 (Wes Hodges & Tyler Greene).
- He drove in his 45th RBI of the season, the third most on the team behind Vahn Lackey and Ryan Zuckerman.
- Junior Ryan Zuckerman became the first Jacket to reach 50 RBI when he drove in Lackey for the fourth run of the game.
- Sophomore Caleb Daniel came off the bench in the 5th inning and blooped an RBI double, it was his 24th RBI of the season and his 5th as a pinch hitter.
QUICK HITS: THE ARMS
- Sophomore Jackson Blakely made his sixth consecutive weekend start, pitching 2.2 innings with two earned runs allowed and three strikeouts.
- He has only allowed runs in only three of his eight appearances this season (37.1 innings) this season.
- His ERA stands at 2.65, the lowest among all starting pitchers on the roster.
- R-junior Caden Gaudette made his team-leading 16th appearance of the season and 2nd of the weekend, pitching 2.1 scoreless innings.
- He entered the game with a two-run lead (4-2) and the bases loaded with two outs before inducing an inning ending groundout to short.
- Gaudette lowers his ERA to 2.86 in 22.0 innings of work.
- The man they call “Rock” pitched a total of 3.1 innings this weekend, allowing only one hit with four strikeouts.
- He has now pitched as many innings this season as he had in his previous two years combined (22.0) while allowing less than half as many earned runs (7 in 2026, 15 in 2024-25) and exactly half as many hits (12 in 2026, 24 in 2024-25).
- Mason Patel got the ball to start the 6th inning, keeping the score at 5-2 for the final four frames and collecting his fourth save of the season.
- Since recovering from an injury that saw him miss 20 days, Patel has made six appearances out of the bullpen, pitching 13.2 scoreless innings with a victory and four saves.
- Over the last two seasons, Patel has made 29 appearances out of the bullpen, posting 12 wins and nine saves.
- This was his longest relief appearance of the season (4.0 innings) after pitching at least 3.0 innings in 15 of his 23 appearances during his All-American season last year.
Up Next
Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate. Tuesday at 7 pm at Truist Park. Tickets are available HERE with all proceeds benefiting the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech baseball team, follow us on X (@GTBaseball), Facebook, Instagram (@gt_baseball) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
-
Minneapolis, MN18 seconds ago10 years later, our Prince superfan shares his Prince Pilgrimage
-
Indianapolis, IN6 minutes agoIndianapolis Democrat Andrea Hunley to seek bid for mayor’s job in 2027
-
Pittsburg, PA12 minutes agoKozora: Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 Mock Draft (Final Version)
-
Augusta, GA18 minutes agoGeoff Duncan visits Augusta to campaign on Monday
-
Washington, D.C24 minutes agoUS industry leaders take sport fishing issues to Washington DC – Angling International
-
Cleveland, OH30 minutes agoRabbi Leibel Alevsky, Chabad of Northeast Ohio founder and director, dies at 86
-
Austin, TX36 minutes agoMan charged after driving 100 mph in East Austin, crashing into bus station: affidavit
-
Alabama42 minutes agoRight Solution, Wrong Method For Alabama Baseball This Season: Just a Minute