Sheriff: Georgia gang leader arrested after hiding in attic, falling from ceiling

SPALDING COUNTY, Ga. — A felon with suspected gang ties was arrested in Spalding County on Monday after he hid in an attic and eventually fell from a ceiling.

Myrrin Watson, 41, is one of the highest-ranking Blood gang members working out of Spalding and Griffin counties, according to Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix. The Bloods are a criminal street gang founded in Los Angeles with ties to local gangs across the country.

Dix called Watson “a dangerous leader of a violent organization” and “a menace to society.” His arrest comes two weeks after he ran from a traffic stop, the sheriff said in a statement.

“He had been boasting since he ran from agents two weeks ago that his new street name would be Myrrin ‘Copperfield’ Watson because he always escaped just like the magician does,” he said. “We didn’t give him a chance to pull a rabbit out of his hat on this one today. We pulled a convicted, documented, thug out of an attic for what is hopefully his final trick.”

Watson’s criminal history is extensive, Dix said. Not only was he on active probation for possessing a gun as a felon, he was out of jail on bond after a drug smuggling incident at Reidsville State Prison.

On Monday, when deputies and U.S. marshals tracked him to a home on Hosanna Road, they also found evidence of dogfighting, according to the sheriff.

Movement in the attic tipped the officers that Watson may be hiding there. They began communicating with the man, but he still refused to come out, Dix said.

“At that point, knowing his exact location in the attic, the agents began dismantling the ceiling near him and continued to order him out and to surrender,” he said. “He continued to ignore them, even after they had torn out enough of the ceiling to see each other.”

Watson was then stunned with a Taser and fell to the floor. He was taken into custody uninjured, according to authorities.

A subsequent search of the Hosanna Road home resulted in the seizure of six guns, four dogs and the evidence investigators believe ties Watson to dogfighting.

Local authorities hope to turn Watson’s case over to federal agents for prosecution. Dix said that in Watson’s former run-ins with the law, other people arrested with Watson have ultimately taken responsibility.

“We have ensured that with this case that no one will be able to take them [sic] blame for his crimes,” he said.

Watson is being held in the Spalding County Jail without bond. He is facing 18 counts of criminal gang activity, six counts of possession of a firearm by a felon, and single counts each of possession of drug-related objects, fleeing and attempting to elude and violation of probation.

Geraldo Williams, 30, who authorities said is another documented Blood gang member, was also arrested Monday on a charge of hindering the apprehension of a fugitive. He is also facing two counts of criminal gang activity and single counts each of obstruction and violation of probation.

Williams is also being held in the county jail without bond.

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