Cowboys armed robber, others sentenced

Brandon Earl Preston pleads guilty to robbery, sexual battery charges in superior court

Five offenders in criminal cases were sentenced last week in Polk County Superior Court, including a Cedartown man who robbed a local convenience store.

Brandon Earl Preston pleaded guilty to felony counts of armed robbery and aggravated sexual battery and was sentenced to 40 years with 20 to serve in prison by Senior Judge Adele Grubbs, according to the Polk County District Attorney’s Office.

According to Polk County Police, Preston entered Cowboys Food Mart on U.S. 278 in the Fish Creek area at around 1 a.m. on Dec. 10 with a sawedoff shotgun and demanded the clerk get on the ground after handing over all of the available cash out of both registers.

During the robbery, Preston was also found to have touched the clerk in an inappropriate manner which brought additional charges in the case after review of store video.

Preston was able to flee following the incident and remained on the run for a day following the robbery until police were able to release further details about his vehicle and description. He was arrested and brought back to Polk County on Dec. 11.

Upon completion of his 20 years in prison Preston will be a registered sex offender, with fully restrictive conditions, which are strictly reserved for offenses classified as dangerous sexual offenses under the Georgia Code. Preston had been held without bond since the date of his arrest in 2019.

“The district attorney’s office is committed to keeping dangerous criminals out of our community, and this was one of the most chilling crimes of late,” said Assistant District Attorney Crystal Burkhalter, who prosecuted the case.

Among the other cases reaching a sentencing last week were:

Trintis Hodges was sentenced to 20 years with five years to serve in Georgia Department of Corrections custody for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

Billy Williams Jr. was