Macon teens plead guilty to armed robbery in ball field slaying

Roland Rah’saun Watson was 15 when he was arrested last spring and charged with murder.

Wednesday, he stood in a Bibb County courtroom as a 17-year-old pleading guilty, as an adult, to armed robbery, aggravated assault and a gang act violation. He received a preliminary sentence of 40 years, 20 of them in prison without the possibility of parole.

The judge ordered a post-sentencing investigation -- a probe conducted by probation officers that could impact sentencing -- to be completed for Watson.

Watson, 18-year-old Trayvon Starks and 18-year-old Jedarrius Treonta Meadows Jr. each were charged with murder in the Feb. 22, 2014, shooting death of Damian Bernard “Little Petey” Clayton.

Clayton was found shot at a Macon Little League ball park on Anthony Road across from Henderson Stadium. He’d been shot in the head, torso and arm and robbed of cash.

Clayton later died at a local hospital.

Starks also pleaded guilty to armed robbery during another hearing Wednesday. He received a preliminary 20-year prison sentence, and the judge ordered a post-sentencing investigation in his case as well.

The case against Meadows still is pending.

Authorities have alleged Meadows and Watson were members of the criminal street gang Fu--Life, and Starks is an alleged Crips member.

Watson spoke softly in court Wednesday as he responded to a judge’s questions.

He bowed his head while the prosecutor read aloud the charges against him.

Clayton had been the target of a Nov. 21, 2013, shooting on Cedar Avenue that instead claimed the life of 16-year-old Alyssa Zari Jackson. Dontavius “Man Man” Mintz, 18, pleaded guilty to murder in that case June 29.

Information from Telegraph archives was used in this report. To contact writer Amy Leigh Womack, call 744-4398 or find her on Twitter@awomackmacon.

This story was originally published August 26, 2015 at 6:30 PM with the headline "Macon teens plead guilty to armed robbery in ball field slaying ."