The Dec. 16 arrest of a suspected gang leader has led to the suspension of three sheriff’s deputies.
Richmond County Sheriff Eugene Brantley announced Tuesday afternoon that Deputy Nicholas Boyd has been suspended for 10 days for throwing two punches during the bloody arrest of De’Ante Cannon, alleged leader of the Youngins with Money gang.
Lt. Kyle Gould was also suspended for 6 days for disseminating a photo of Cannon’s bloodied face. Brantley said Gould, the lieutenant over the sheriff’s gang task force, shared the photo with other members of the gang unit, he said. The agency said they are unaware of how the photo made it to social media.
Later Tuesday, the sheriff’s office announced the suspension of a third officer, Sgt. Eric McCants. He received a 5-day suspension for disseminating the photo to other law enforcement officers.
Although Boyd’s use of force was deemed legally justified in striking Cannon twice, Brantley emphasized it did not meet the department’s standards.
“While the force used was within the bounds of the law, it was not consistent with what I expect from our deputies,” the sheriff said.
The sheriff quoted a motto he repeats often: “Just because you can, does not mean you should.”
Going to the 2353 Henry Circle residence to make arrests and serve a search warrant, the deputies knew they were dealing with the suspected leader of a violent criminal street gang and suspected associate of the Sex Money Murder Bloods, Brantley said.
They suspected Cannon of being a high-level drug trafficker operating in Augusta who is a convicted felon with a history of weapons violations, which also factored into their decision to use a level of force, Brantley said. Members of Youngins with Money have been involved in multiple shooting incidents this year, he said.
The arrests of the other two suspects occurred without issue, he said. One surrendered immediately and the second ran but surrendered after being taken to the ground, he said.
In body-worn video showed to the media, Cannon actively resists being handcuffed after deputies take him to the ground. He repeatedly yells “I can’t breathe” and says “please don’t tase me.” He was not tased.
During his 10-day suspension, Boyd will undergo additional training focused on arrest and control techniques, team tactics and decision-making under stress, Brantley said. He will be assigned to court services until he completes the training.
The decision to suspend the deputies is “about corrective behavior, reinforcing expectations and ensuring we continue to improve as an agency,” Brantley said. Both suspensions are unpaid.
Gould, who was reviewing the camera footage due to the use of force, took a photo of the video and shared it, a violation of the department’s policy and professional standards, Brantley said.
“The supervisor that reviewed the body worn camera did take a picture of it,” he said.
While Cannon’s wound appeared to come from the punches, the amount of blood seen on his face likely was increased by his face being pushed into the gravel driveway during his arrest, he said.
“Once they were pushing him down to the ground it aggravated the injury a little bit,” Brantley said.
The release of the graphic photo sparked public outrage, with many questioning the use of excessive force. During Tuesday’s press conference, the sheriff allowed reporters to view the bodycam footage from three deputies, but he did not allow them to capture the video or audio for public release.
The videos are not going to be immediately released to the public, but may be released after the conclusion of the ongoing gang investigation, Brantley said.
The incident led to multiple arrests and the seizure of 30 pounds of marijuana, methamphetamine, over $211,000 in cash and various gang-related items.
Greg Rickabaugh contributed to this report.
FULL STATEMENT FROM SHERIFF BRANTLEY:
Good afternoon. I want to address the recent search warrant and arrest involving De’Ante Cannon at 2353 Henry Circle and the actions of our deputies during that operation.
First, it is important for the community to understand what our deputies knew going into this warrant service. Mr. Cannon has been described in law enforcement records as a suspected gang-affiliated individual. He is the suspected leader of the violent criminal street gang Youngins With Money and a suspected associate of the Sex Money Murder Bloods. He is a confirmed convicted felon with a history of weapons violations and narcotics distribution. Our investigators had identified him as a high-level drug trafficker operating in Augusta, and members of this gang have been involved in multiple shooting incidents this year.
Based on our deputies’ training and experience, when individuals with this background are confronted, especially during active gang conflicts, there is a very real risk they may be armed and prepared to use violence. That information matters. It shapes how deputies approach a situation and the level of threat they reasonably perceive in the moment.
During the execution of the warrant, one suspect surrendered without incident. Another fled but surrendered after being taken to the ground. Mr. Cannon also fled on foot and was taken to the ground by deputies. At that point, he resisted efforts to place him in handcuffs.
In that struggle, Deputy Nicholas Boyd struck Mr. Cannon twice to gain compliance. Under the law, that level of force can be legally justified when a suspect is actively resisting arrest, particularly when deputies reasonably believe the suspect may be armed and dangerous. We do not ignore the risks our deputies faced in that moment, and we take into account what they knew about Mr. Cannon and the threat he potentially posed. As is our policy after any use of force arrest, the body worn camera video is reviewed by supervisory personnel.
However, legality alone is not our standard. We hold ourselves to a higher expectation.
In this case, while the force used was within the bounds of the law, it was not consistent with what I expect from our deputies.
We teach our deputies a simple principle. “Just because you can does not mean you should.”
That principle applies here.
As a result, Deputy Boyd has been suspended for 10 days and will undergo additional training focused on arrest and control techniques, team tactics, and decision making under stress. During this training period, he will be assigned to court services. This is about correcting behavior, reinforcing expectations, and ensuring we continue to improve.
Additionally, Lt. Kyle Gould took a photograph of Mr. Cannon from body worn camera footage and shared it. That is a violation of our policy and our professional standards. He has also been suspended for six days. We will not tolerate the misuse of sensitive images or information, regardless of the circumstances of the arrest.
Let me be very clear. I support our deputies when they act in good faith to protect themselves and this community. Serving high risk warrants on violent offenders is dangerous work, and our people step into that danger every day. At the same time, accountability is not optional. Professionalism is not optional. We can acknowledge the risks deputies face while still holding them responsible for how they respond. We are committed to transparency and accountability while also ensuring due process for all involved.
No arrest where an individual does not want to be arrested will ever look good on camera. The best advice we can give is simple. If deputies are there for you or you are told you are under arrest, stop and place your hands on top of your head. Save the arguments for court. Do not run, because you will most likely be taken to the ground, and that rarely ends well. Everyone deserves their day in court, and that is our goal every day.
Our community deserves both safety and trust. We will continue to aggressively target violent gangs and drug traffickers who harm this community. And we will continue to hold ourselves to the highest standards in how we do that work.
That is my commitment as your Sheriff.
