Georgia – A nine-day trial has ended with a second conviction in the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Cameron Manago, leaving sentencing as the next step in the case.
An Athens-Clarke County jury found Keanthony Sorrells, 17, guilty on Nov. 5, 2026, in connection with Manago’s death at Rolling Ridge Apartments on May 27, 2024. Sorrells is the final defendant convicted in the shooting, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced last week.
The verdict covered 11 counts: one each of felony murder and armed robbery, two of aggravated assault, four violations of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, two of possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony, and one of possessing a handgun while under 18. A sentencing date will be set later.
His co-defendant, Zyquavious Thomas, 18, pleaded guilty on Sept. 16, 2026. Authorities identified both defendants as associates of Sex Money Murder, a national Bloods set with a strong presence across Georgia.
“When we created our Gang Prosecution Unit four years ago, we promised to go after those who are putting lives at risk, and we started in Athens,” Carr said.
“Alongside our local, state and federal partners, we have stopped a deadly gang war and secured justice for victims and their families.”
Since its creation in July 2022, the unit has obtained more than 20 convictions in Athens through partnerships with local police, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the FBI. Several other defendants remain charged.
Most of those Athens cases involve a conflict between Everybody Eats, known as EBE, and Red Tape Gang, or RTG. The violence dates to 2021 and has included fatal and nonfatal shootings throughout the area.
The unit’s successful prosecutions include cases involving the deaths of three-year-old Kryon Santino Zarco Smith, 19-year-old Brynarius Smith, 24-year-old Ja’Vanni McDavid and 19-year-old Alijah Nelson.
Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters emphasized the coordination behind the latest conviction.
“Addressing gang-related crime requires continued collaboration, shared resources, and a coordinated approach to investigations and prosecutions,” Saulters said.
Senior Assistant Attorney General Ryan Piechocinski and Assistant Attorney General McKenzie Gray prosecuted Sorrells’ case. Athens-Clarke County police led the investigation, assisted by the GBI, the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force and Gang Prosecution Unit investigators Nathan Shoate and Eliasar Gonzalez.
GBI Director Chris Hosey called the conviction an important step in addressing the threat posed by criminal gangs. Marlo Graham, special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta, said the agency remains committed to dismantling violent gangs and preventing further bloodshed through its law enforcement partnerships.
