Macon gun heist suspect pleads guilty, expected to help prosecutors in investigation
A suspect who helped rob 62 guns from a Macon pawn shop is expected to help prosecutors find remaining missing guns and an at-large suspect, prosecutors said when the man pleaded guilty in court Tuesday.
Rontavious Jamal Jackson admitted in court to participating in the theft at Howard’s Pawn and Jewelry on April 5, 2023. He and another suspect broke into the store at 3 a.m., according to court records. He pleaded guilty to possessing a gun as a convicted felon. He also was charged with gun theft and possessing a stolen gun, but those offenses were dismissed as part of a plea deal.
Royal asked who the other suspect was after Jackson pleaded guilty. Prosecutors didn’t identify the suspect, but said during an investigation into Jackson’s criminal history before he’s sentenced, he’s expected to tell officials more about the other suspect and the remaining guns.
Prosecutors: Suspect looked up guns, shop before robbery
Jackson and the other assailant smashed the wall of the storage room of Howard’s Pawn and Jewelry on April 5 last year at 3 a.m., stealing 62 guns from the stock shelf and a box behind the counter in the process, according to court records.
He was arrested days later in his home in Crisp County, 62 miles away from Macon where deputies recovered 31 of the guns belonging to the pawn shop. He was charged with 31 counts of theft and 32 counts of possessing a weapon as a convicted felon, according to multiple news outlets.
Prosecutors said Jackson looked up the location of Howard’s Pawn and Jewelry some weeks before the heist. He also looked up some of the guns he would be expecting to steal, including a Taurus pistol. Prosecutors said these searches confirmed him as one of the suspects responsible for the robbery.
Jackson has been out on bond after his arrest on Feb. 29. His sentencing date was not scheduled Tuesday.
