On September 8, 2021, Stephan Devon Profitt-Long, 27, of Lawrenceville, entered a non-negotiated guilty plea to Armed Robbery and Kidnapping in Carroll County Superior Court, Case No. 21-CR-0305. After Senior Assistant District Attorney Sarah Japour presented evidence in aggravation of punishment and the victim, a store employee, provided an impact statement, Profitt-Long was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison without the possibility of parole, followed by 10 years on probation.
Villa Rica Police Department Detective Noah Tolbert investigated the case. The Douglas County SheriffÂ’s Office and the Carroll County 911 Center provided valuable assistance to solve it.
On May 31, 2019, the Defendant entered an AT&T store in Villa Rica brandishing a black handgun and wearing a hoodie and a mask. He pointed the gun at the lone employee in the store, forcing the victim to walk to the front door and lock it, and then to go into the back office and open a safe. The Defendant then held the victim at gunpoint while he stole all of the cellphones from the safe. He left the victim zip-tied on the ground in the back room of the store. While leaving the store, the Defendant stole all of the cash from the cash register. Because the Defendant unknowingly took a tracking device along with the stolen cell phones, law enforcement was able to track him in real time until they were able to arrest him in Douglas County.
:This case shows that local law enforcement and the DA’s Office will work tirelessly to hold violent offenders accountable with substantial prison sentences,” Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney, Herb Cranford said. “While Sr. ADA Japour, Detective Tolbert, and all involved law enforcement personnel deserve praise and respect from the community for obtaining justice in this case, this prosecution would not have been possible without the courage of the victim to cooperate and to speak at the sentencing hearing. The victim’s words to the Court were moving and undoubtedly had an impact on the sentence given.”
