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Name:
Drayton, Patrick Oneil
Date of Booking:
06/12/2026
Reason(s) For Booking:
ARMED ROBBERY
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
[NARRATIVE #1 on June 10, 2026]
On June 10, 2026, at approximately 23:28, I, Deputy Craymer, responded to Homertown Grocery (977 Historic Homer Hwy) in reference to an armed robbery.
Once on scene, I spoke with [REDACTED BY AGENCY] who stated that 2 black males entered the store around 23:05. Once of them had a large gun described by [REDACTED BY AGENCY] as a machine gun. The male pointed the rifle at [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and ordered [REDACTED BY AGENCY] to get the money from the register. The male began to drag [REDACTED BY AGENCY] behind the counter to get the money. The males picked up a small grey container and stuffed all of the money in the register into it.
When I asked [REDACTED BY AGENCY] how much money they took, [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that [REDACTED BY AGENCY] was unsure but estimated a couple of thousand. After they took the money, both males fled the scene. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that [REDACTED BY AGENCY] did not see a vehicle, so [REDACTED BY AGENCY] was unsure if they arrived in one.
[REDACTED BY AGENCY] was able to get me permission to use their security cameras. The time code on the cameras was off by an hour. Once I located the incident, I observed two black males enter the store. One was heavier than the other. The larger one was wearing all black, gloves, and a face mask. He was the male furnishing the rifle. The rifle was an AR styled rifle with a large red dot on top and had a flashlight mounted to the end of the barrel. The other male was wearing a white hoodie under a blue pull over. He was not wearing a mask or gloves but was concealing his face with the hoodie. They entered the store, stole all of the money and left in approximately 2 minutes. It is suspected that they were in a vehicle, but they had parked it up the street out of the camera’s view.
The basket/container they had used to carry the cash was found by deputies Lunsford while he was in the area. Deputy Lunsford was able to recover this container in front of the library on Hwy 51. It is suspected that Hwy 51 was the route taken to flee the scene.
On-call CID and crime scene technicians responded to the scene for further processing and investigations. The scene was turned over to them. There is no suspect or vehicle description at this time.
[End of Narrative]
[NARRATIVE #2 on June 11, 2026]
On June 11, I Cpl. Barber, responded to the Dollar General in Gillsville to take custody of two males who had active warrants out of Banks County.
I placed Nazzar Parker into handcuffs that were checked for fit and double locked. Nazzar was seat belted into the rear of my vehicle and transported to the Banks County Jail without incident. The back seat of my vehicle was searched before and after Nazzar’s transport.
Dep. Forrester placed [REDACTED BY AGENCY] into handcuffs that were checked for fit and double locked. Dep. Forrester then transported [REDACTED BY AGENCY] to the Banks County Jail without incident.
[End of Narrative]
[NARRATIVE #3 on June 12, 2026]
On 06/12/2026, I, Deputy Lunsford at approximately 00:25 met with Hall County Sheriffs at 6264 SR-52 (Dollar General) in reference to a wanted person out of Banks County for transport. An arrest was made.
On scene Deputy Lunsford met with Hall County SO who had custody of Patrick Drayton who had a active warrant out of Banks County for armed robbery. Deputy Lunsford confirmed the individual was Patrick Drayton. Deputy Lunsford then placed the offender into handcuffs, checked for fit, and double locked them. The offender was then escorted to Deputy Lunsford patrol car and seat belted in. Deputy Lunsford then transported the offender to Banks County Jail without incident and he was handed over to jail staff.
Deputy Lunsford checked his back seat before and after transport and nothing was located. Deputy Lunsford went and signed the warrant in central.
[End of Narrative]
All information is sourced directly from the official, public court database. Case history is organized and curated by The Georgia Gazette staff. The “What this means:” explanations are written by AI and reviewed by our staff before publishing.
Court records are subject to change at the court’s discretion. The Georgia Gazette is not responsible for errors or omissions. Nothing here is legal advice. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Case History:
There is a listed co-defendant in this case. Please see Nazzar Parker for additional information.
6/12/26
MAGISTRATE COURT NOTIFIES SUPERIOR COURT — PATRICK DRAYTON HELD WITHOUT BOND
What this means: On June 12, 2026, Chief Magistrate Ivan Mote formally notified the Banks County Superior Court that Patrick Oneil Drayton was being held without bond following his June 11, 2026 arrest. Georgia law requires this notification when a defendant is jailed on a charge that only a Superior Court judge can bond. The notice was filed in the Banks County Superior Court the same day.
6/19/26
MAGISTRATE COURT DEFERS BOND SETTING TO SUPERIOR COURT FOR PATRICK DRAYTON
What this means: On June 19, 2026, the Banks County Magistrate Court issued a formal Bond Order in the case of Patrick Oneil Drayton, Warrant No. CR-26-0524. Because Drayton is charged with Armed Robbery — a crime that falls under O.C.G.A. 17-6-1(a) and is designated as one where only a Superior Court judge can set bond — the Magistrate Court officially deferred all bond decisions to the Superior Court. The order was signed by Judge Ivan Mote. This means Drayton remained jailed and could not seek release through the lower court; any bond request would have to be heard by a Superior Court judge.
7/8/26
GRAND JURY RETURNS INDICTMENT — 2 COUNTS FILED AGAINST PATRICK ONEIL DRAYTON
What this means: On July 8, 2026, a Banks County grand jury returned a true bill of indictment against Patrick Oneil Drayton in Banks County Superior Court under Docket No. 26CR421. The indictment was filed by Clerk of Superior Court Tim Harper. District Attorney George R. Christian of the Mountain Judicial Circuit is prosecuting. Investigator Michael A. Alford of the Banks County Sheriff’s Office is listed as the lead investigator. The two counts are as follows:
Count 1 — Armed Robbery (O.C.G.A. 16-8-41): Patrick Oneil Drayton is accused of committing Armed Robbery on or about June 10, 2026, at Homertown Grocery in Banks County. He is allegedly accused of using an LMT Defender 2000 rifle to take money belonging to a business owner by force.
Count 2 — Aggravated Assault (O.C.G.A. 16-5-21): Patrick Oneil Drayton is accused of making an assault upon an individual using the LMT Defender 2000 rifle, an object likely to result in serious bodily injury when used offensively, on or about June 10, 2026.
8/4/26
ARRAIGNMENT SCHEDULED FOR PATRICK ONEIL DRAYTON
What this means: An arraignment has been scheduled for Patrick Oneil Drayton on August 4, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in Banks County Superior Court. An arraignment is a formal court hearing where a defendant is officially informed of the charges against them and enters a plea. This hearing follows the July 8, 2026 indictment returned by the grand jury in Case No. 26CR421.
8/6/26
PRO SE MOTION FOR BOND FILED BY PATRICK ONEIL DRAYTON
What this means: On August 6, 2026, Patrick Oneil Drayton filed a pro se motion for bond in Banks County Superior Court Case No. 26CR421. Pro se means Drayton filed the motion on his own behalf, without an attorney. In this motion, Drayton is asking the court to set a bond amount that would allow him to be released from jail while his case is pending. The judge will review the motion and decide whether to grant or deny the request.
11/5/26
ARRAIGNMENT HEARING SCHEDULED FOR PATRICK ONEIL DRAYTON
What this means: An arraignment hearing has been scheduled for Patrick Oneil Drayton on November 5, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in Banks County Superior Court. At this hearing, Drayton will be formally informed of the charges against him in Case No. 26CR421 and will enter a plea to those charges.