A Cobb County grand jury has formally charged four men, Jai'len Edwards, Issiah Hightower, Justin Mosley and Akebren Ralls, with multiple counts in connection with an alleged gambling ring being run from an on-campus apartment at Kennesaw State University last April.
Ralls and Edwards were both scholarship players on the Kennesaw State University football team during the 2017 season. Both were immediately dismissed from the team for violating the Code of Conduct policy, according to a statement from the school at the time of their arrest.
"Akebren Ralls and Jai’len Edwards are charged with accessory to an armed robbery weapon, which is a felony, and are being held without bond. Ralls, a fourth-year student and Edwards, a second-year student, are scholarship athletes and members of the Kennesaw State football team. According to Athletics Director Milton Overton, the two players have been dismissed permanently from the team for violating the team’s Code of Conduct policy."
Ralls was a senior from Forsyth, Ga., and Edwards was a sophomore from Greensboro, Ga.
According to the grand jury documents, all four men were charged with armed robbery.
In addition, Hightower faces additional counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, interference with government property, carrying weapons within certain school areas, discharge of a firearm on property of another, and gambling.
Mosley's additional charges included possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and carrying weapons within certain school areas.
Edwards has been charged with gambling. Ralls faces additional charges of keeping a gambling place and keeping a disorderly house.
The incident stems from a reported April 13 armed robbery at Kennesaw State's Austin Residence Complex off of Chastain Road. During the incident, according to the charging documents, the men were involved in gambling on the video game NBA 2K. Over the course of the incident, four other men were robbed at gunpoint.
During the incident, Hightower discharged the handgun he had in his possession.