It’s a peculiar case of an XBox gaming system taken at gunpoint inside the city limits of Brooklet.
While arrests were swiftly made, the case lingered in court for more than eight years. Two defendants pleaded guilty early on, one maintained his innocence -until he died – with six listed alibi witnesses, and the charges against a fourth were finally resolved last month.
The case dates back to 2016. A man was reportedly robbed of his Xbox at gunpoint when he met up with someone he presumed would be purchasing the game system. 17-year-old Garry Matthews was arrested shortly after the incident and most of the gaming system parts were recovered. In the weeks that followed, three more were jailed in connection to the investigation conducted by ‘Max Meyer,’ former chief of the Brooklet Police Department who was mostly commonly known as Lawrence Norville Douglas Meyer III.
According to statements made by Meyer in the wake of the incident, only one firearm was brandished, but four individuals were charged with the robbery and assault. Benjamonica Shkovia Lee (girlfriend to Matthews), Dontell Jartavis Lee (cousin to Benjamonica Lee), Garry Lloyd Matthews and Willie Fred Watson (uncle to Dontrell Lee) were all indicted for Armed Robbery, Aggravated Assault (x2), and Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony. Watson was also indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon due to his 1991 burglary conviction in Jenkins County.
Timeline
December 9, 2016 – X-Box stolen
December 10, 2016 – Brooklet Police Department arrests Garry Matthews.
December 15-16, 2016 – BPD arrests 3 other individuals.
February 7, 2017 – Grand jury indicts B. Lee, D. Lee, Matthews, and Watson. All indicted for Armed Robbery, Aggravated Assault (x2), and Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony. Watson was also indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon due to his 1991 burglary conviction in Jenkins County.
March 27, 2017 – Willie Watson is released on $15,000 bond.
July 20, 2017 – Watson’s attorney files a notice to introduce 4 witnesses who are expected to testify as alibis for Watson. Two of the individuals are noted to have been with Watson at the time of the incident (at a local business) and a third individual would testify that they were driving in a silver Nissan Versa, contrary to Brooklet PD’s case file, which relied on a silver Nissan Altima.
Watson’s attorney follows with another motion about references made to Watson’s time in prison in the 1990s by Chief Meyer during his interviews with other defendants in the case. The attorney notes that Watson’s previous time in prison had nothing to do with the current case and lacked probative value.
August 14, 2017 – Watson waives his right to a jury trial, requests a bench trial and it is placed on the calendar for November 15, 2017. Prosecutors file paperwork indicating they will seek ‘Recidivist Punishment’ for Watson due to his 1991 burgarly conviction, a 1991 drug conviction, a 1994 possession of a firearm possession conviction, and a 2005 drug conviction.
August 15, 2017 – Benjamonica Lee, Dontrell Lee, and Garry Matthews waive their right to a jury trial and request bench trials.
November 8, 2017 – One week before the bench trial, prosecutors seek a continuance because Chief Meyer will be out of work from November 13, 2017 to December 11, 2017 for a medical procedure.
2018 – Most of 2018 is plagued with negative publicity for the Brooklet Police Department, particularly as it pertains to Chief Meyer. Meyer is accused of violating the rights of a number of individuals during his time as Chief and being untruthful about the facts of cases in which he was involved. Four federal lawsuits follow. Meyer departs from his post and moves out of state.
June 28, 2018 – Garry Matthews, the first individual arrested for the offense, enters a guilty plea. The Armed Robbery charge is reduced to Robbery and he is sentenced to 13 years confinement with 13 years confinement (to run concurrently) for Aggravated Assault. The other Aggravated Assault and Firearm charges are dismissed. He is given credit for time served dating back to December 15, 2016. $200 in restitution is to be paid upon release from prison. He is sentenced under the First Offender Act.
February 19, 2019 – Benjamonica Lee is offered a plea, but declines to take the offer, maintaining innocence.
February 26, 2019 – Dontrell Lee enters a guilty plea. The Armed Robbery charge is reduced to Robbery and sentenced to 13 years confinement with 13 years confinement (concurrent) for Aggravated Assault. The firearm charge was dismissed. He is given credit for time served dating back to December 15, 2016. $200 in restitution is to be paid upon release from prison. He is sentenced under the First Offender Act.
During his sentencing hearing, he testifies that he did not know they were going to rob the victim that day. He said the meeting was arranged by Garry Matthews and he was just in the vehicle at the time. He admits the firearm was his but testifies that he did not hit the victim.
At this point, both Matthews and D. Lee have taken responsibility for the robbery and for brandishing the firearm during the robbery.
March 27, 2019 – After no movement on the case for seventeen months, a new attorney files an entry of appearance for Watson – Robert Mock, Jr.
January 20, 2020 – After eight more months, Mock again files a notice of alibi defense for Watson, this time listing six alibi witnesses.
February 12, 2020 – A bench warrant is issued for Watson for failure to appear for a court date.
September 14, 2020 – Watson’s case is dead docketed until Watson is located.
September 14, 2020 – Benjamonica Lee’s case is dead docketed due to Watson’s bench warrant. The order notes Lee is “a material witness” against Lee in the same case. A ‘material witness’ is a person whose testimony is considered essential to the outcome of a criminal case, meaning their information is highly probative and could significantly impact the proceedings. Lee’s case is put on hold until Watson’s case can be resolved.
December 19, 2022 – 34 months after the bench warrant is issued, Watson is arrested in Statesboro. Records note that Watson is currently on dialysis three days a week for four hours each day.
December 30, 2022 – The district attorney’s office reactivates the case against Watson.
January 3, 2023 – Watson is released from the Bulloch County jail on a ROR bond. (Released on Own Recognizance). Court notes indicate the release was authorized by Sheriff Noel Brown due to Watson’s medical condition. He is ordered to reside with his sister.
October 14, 2023 – Watson dies.
March 26, 2024 – Prosecutors inform the court that Watson is deceased.
May 6, 2024 – 17 months after Watson is arrested and 45 days after prosecutors learn of his passing, Benajmonica Lee’s case is reactivated by the district attorney’s office.
May 7, 2024 – Watson’s case is dead docketed and the charges against him are formally dismissed.
February 20, 2025 – Benjamonica Lee enters a guilty plea. The Armed Robbery charge is reduced to Robbery and she is sentenced to 10 years probation with a $1,000 fine. The other three charges are dismissed. She is banished from the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit, except for travel on I-16 and I-95. The sentence is under the First Offender Act, meaning upon successful completion of five years on probation, the charge will be scrubbed from her record.
Five police chiefs, three district attorneys, and eight years later – the case is closed.
