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Ex-Hindu Temple leader sentenced for fraud

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer
Tuesday, April 14th, 2015, 7:54am
Ex-Hindu Temple leader sentenced for fraud

ATLANTA -- The former leader of the now defunct Hindu Temple of Georgia will spend 27 years and three months in prison after being convicted on a number of federal charges.

Annamalai Annamalai was found guilty last August of 34 counts, including bank fraud, tax fraud, bankruptcy fraud and obstruction. He is also now forbidden from offering spiritual services in exchange for money.

Prosecutors said Annamalai, a self-proclaimed "priest" and "child prodigy," convinced his victims they needed spiritual guidance and had to pay him in order to receive it. He then charged the victims' credit cards multiple times in excess of the agreed amounts.

When the victims disputed the extra charges, Annamalai provided the credit card companies with false documents that justified the purchases. He also manipulated audio recordings to make it sound like the victims agreed to pay the charges, according to information presented in court.

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Would-be Norcross bank robber sought

Submitted by 11Alive News Staff
Monday, April 6th, 2015, 4:42pm
Would-be Norcross bank robber sought

NORCROSS, Ga. – Authorities are searching for a man they say tried to rob a bank in Norcross.

According to the Gwinnett County Police Department, the suspect walked into a SunTrust Bank at 5950 Jimmy Carter Blvd. just after 10 a.m. on March 28. He then passed a note to a clerk demanding money and raised his shirt to display a handgun. Police said that due the amount of time it was taking the teller to open the drawer, the suspect left the bank without getting any money.

The suspect was wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt. He was described as being in 30s and standing between 5'11" and 6'1" with a medium.

Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS (8477).

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Police ID robbery suspect who fired at cops

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer
Friday, April 3rd, 2015, 12:06pm
Police ID robbery suspect who fired at cops

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -- Gwinnett County Police have identified the robbery suspect accused of firing at responding officers.

Investigators believe 28-year-old Javon D. Jenkins is responsible for the crime. He has not yet been arrested.

The shooting happened Mar. 23 at the Ashford Jackson Creek Apartments in the 3200 block of Sunrise Village Lane.

Gwinnett County Police Cpl. Michele Pihera said the suspect hid inside an apartment when he saw an officer approaching. The officer heard glass breaking and found the suspect attempting to run up a nearby hill.

The officer told the suspect to stop. In response, the suspect fired at least one shot at the officer. A Gwinnett County Police spokesperson said the officer did not return fire.

Investigators spoke with the robbery victim and a witness.

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DUI suspect charged with trying to bribe Gwinnett cop

Submitted by 11Alive News Staff
Monday, March 30th, 2015, 10:16am
DUI suspect charged with trying to bribe Gwinnett cop

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -- A woman claiming to work on the set of the hit CW show "The Vampire Diaries" has been charged with DUI and bribery after causing an accident in Gwinnett County.

Chase Porter, 26, of Atlanta was arrested Mar. 22. Shortly before crashing her car on Interstate 85 south of Beaver Ruin Road, she was spotted driving more than 100 miles per hour and swerving across several lanes.

According to a police report, Porter had bloodshot eyes and smelled strongly of alcohol. When asked to get out of her Mercedes-Benz C250, Porter stumbled and was unable to walk on her own.

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Sex offender gets life for assaulting teen

Submitted by 11Alive News Staff
Tuesday, February 17th, 2015, 5:51am
Sex offender gets life for assaulting teen

COBB COUNTY, Ga. -- A Norcross man will spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl.

David Christopher Roberts, 43, was found guilty Friday of child molestation, aggravated child molestation and enticing a minor. He was acquitted of rape and false imprisonment.

A Cobb County senior judge sentenced Roberts to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He has been a registered sex offender since 1992, when he was convicted of raping a teenage girl in Indiana, and also has two felony drug convictions.

The Cobb County incident happened Aug. 6, 2012, when Roberts spoke with his victim over a phone chat line and arranged to meet her on the playground at Pitner Elementary School near Acworth.

He was arrested in Tennessee by U.S. Marshals in July 2013. The victim provided police with the DNA evidence needed to track down Roberts, according to prosecutors.

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Man stabbed in the neck at Gwinnett hotel

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer
Wednesday, January 28th, 2015, 9:16am
Man stabbed in the neck at Gwinnett hotel

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -- A man was stabbed in the neck at a Gwinnett County hotel Wednesday morning.

It happened shortly after 7 a.m. at Rite 4 Us Inn & Suites in the 5900 block of Oakbrook Parkway.

According to a 911 call, the victim was alert and conscious after the stabbing. He was taken into surgery at a nearby hospital.

Gwinnett County Police Cpl. Michele Pihera said the stabbing happened in a room at the hotel. After being attacked, the victim went to the building's lobby and asked an employee for help.

Two women were arrested in connection with the crime. No names were released.

Gwinnett County police are investigating the incident.

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Man jumps off balcony to escape robbery suspect

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer
Thursday, January 22nd, 2015, 9:28am
Man jumps off balcony to escape robbery suspect

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -- A 65-year-old man was hurt after jumping off a third-floor apartment balcony to get away from a robbery suspect.

Paul James suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the incident, which happened Jan. 6 at the Lake Colony Apartments in the 2900 block of Lake Colony Drive in southern Gwinnett County. Responding officers found him lying on the ground behind an apartment building.

James told police that he and the suspect, 29-year-old Jason Houston, were inside a unit when Houston pulled out a knife and held it to the victim's neck. Houston tied the victim's wrists behind his back with a cable and forced him to lie on the floor, according to police.

The suspect stole a wallet, a cell phone, an electric guitar and cash from the unit before running. James said he feared Houston would come back, so he locked the apartment door and then jumped from the balcony.

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