Dexter Gary to serve 15 years following plea on single charge

A case that took some twists and turns before it was resolved ended with a guilty plea and sentencing on Thursday, March 7 after two years since Rockmart Police solved a strange one.

Dexter Gary, 65, was arrested following a fourth armed robbery after Rockmart Police initially took one man into custody for three of those armed robberies in early 2022. After additional investigative work by RPD detectives, they finally got their man and Gary was charged with all four of those robberies.

The drama concluded in court this morning after a hearing on a Motion to Suppress was resolved in the state’s favor. Following that hearing, Gary decided to plea guilty to a single armed robbery charge.

His guilty plea cut short the requirement for a trial that was set to start on Monday.

“ADA Baker did a fantastic job negotiating the pretrial matters which ultimately led to the plea,” Tallapoosa Circuit Chief Assistant District Attorney Jaeson Smith said.

The case took an initial turn after investigators arrested a man who a store clerk believed was the suspect at the time in custody was later released when an incident occurred at the Handy Andy in Rockmart that exonerated any involvement he had in the crime.

The spree of March 2022 armed robberies targeted twice at the Marathon Gas Station on West Elm Street, Mapco on Cartersville Highway and the Handy Andy at Litchfield Street and North Piedmont Avenue.

After the unexpected conclusion of the case today, Rockmart Police Detective David Gowens was glad the matter came to a conclusion and the right man will be spending the next several years behind bars.

“We are glad that this case came to a quick resolution, and that we were able to find the right man who tried to get away with serious crimes and take him off the street,” Gowens said.