The “Water Boys,” a loosely organized criminal organization, is allegedly responsible for at least four crimes in the past month, including armed robbery and aggravated assault.
Over the last five years, some young adults who sell water alongside Atlanta interstate exits have allegedly been involved in a number of criminal offenses. In the latest incident, on June 10, 2025, police said a “water boy” held a driver at gunpoint before stealing his phone at North Avenue and Williams Street. “He was robbed at gunpoint,” according to police dispatchers. “It was one of the ‘water boys.’ Caller advises the male had dark clothing and was on some kind of scooter.”
Previously, on May 4, according to the police alert by Georgia Tech, the victim told police two young men who were selling water on the exit ramp took his cell phone and ran away. Two days earlier, a pair of drivers told police that “water boys” stole money from their money apps before running away.
Even earlier, in March 2024, a woman claimed “water boys” stole $600 from her when she pulled up alongside them. “He grabs my phone out of the car, (and) all of a sudden, five more ‘water boys’ circle my car. They start distracting me, (and) next thing I know, he’s putting the phone in front of my face,” she said. “The facial ID goes through, and it says the money was sent. I see that he sent $600 to a random girl.”
Officials acknowledge the problem but pointed out that overall crime has declined in metro Atlanta.
As part of a recent summer safety initiative, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said the best way to prevent youth crime is to keep them busy. “When we brought youth crime down, overall crime would come down. And it has, and a big part of that is just giving our young people something to do,” he remarked.
Colleges, Universities, and Student Safety
Before we address the criminal law implications of this gang activity, we should address the civil law implications. Student safety issues usually prompt more civil law activity than criminal law activity, mostly because the burden of proof is much lower in civil courts.
Usually, colleges and universities are in loco parentis. These institutions, like biological or legal parents, must practically bend over backwards to ensure that students (their children) are safe and secure.
Breaking it down a little further, the extent of the school’s duty of care to prevent third-party crime usually hinges on several factors, such as:
- Area’s overall crime rate,
- Type of business (a donut shop requires less security than a college campus),
- Prior similar incidents in the area, and
- Previous similar incidents at that location.
We stress that an in loco parentis duty is to prevent crime, not catch offenders. Therefore, passive security measures, like cameras, are usually inadequate. Most college campuses require tight security every day and night. After any security incident, the campus basically needs to go on lockdown.
If a breach of duty causes injury, or in this case sets the stage for injury, a Marietta personal injury lawyer can obtain substantial compensation in court. This compensation usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.
Perhaps more importantly, legal actions put college campuses on notice that they must prioritize security.
The aforementioned factors, especially prior similar incidents on campus, establish knowledge of the hazard, another key element in a premises liability claim in Georgia.
Gang Crime Laws in Georgia
Now, let’s shift gears and discuss the criminal law implications of gang activity on college campuses. First and foremost, we should emphasize the presumption of innocence in criminal courts. Jurors must conclude that defendants are wrongfully accused unless prosecutors present overwhelming evidence of guilt.
Senate Bill 44 includes mandatory minimum sentences for gang activity. It adds five extra years to any sentence for any gang-related felony conviction. It adds a whopping ten years (fifteen total) to any sentence for recruiting disabled individuals or minors under 17.
These sentences aren’t technically “mandatory minimums” because judges have limited discretion to lessen punishment in some cases. That technicality probably helped the bill pass in a sharply divided legislature. As a side note, the state can appeal any sentence downgrade and request leniency if a defendant cooperates during criminal investigations.
Usually, a “gang” is two or more people working together toward a common criminal goal. Assume Mike asks Paul to distract the sponsor while he woos Patricia. If Mike gets aggressive with Patricia, Paul is part of Mike’s “gang.”
Speaking of aggressiveness, prosecutors also use the state’s RICO law to prosecute gang offenders. If one person in an organization commits a felony, everyone in that organization can be charged with the same felony. Some additional requirements, such as a pattern of criminal activity, apply in Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization matters.
The timeline could matter. If Mike keeps his hands to himself with Patricia but doesn’t do so with Michelle, Paul could still be part of Mike’s “gang” for RICO purposes.
University Students and Criminal Cases
The Water Boys aren’t college students. But student-on-student crime is a growing concern in Georgia.
Drug crimes are probably the most common college student offense, followed by sex crimes and fraud (usually changing grades or other computer hacking). These offenses have key defenses.
Drug possession has three elements: actual knowledge, close proximity, and exclusive control. If a Marietta criminal defense lawyer creates a reasonable doubt on any of these three elements, the aforementioned presumption of innocence remains in effect.
Frequently, sex crime charges are difficult to prove in court. Usually, both the defendant and alleged victim were drinking at the time of the incident. Furthermore, by the time the case goes to trial, the alleged victim may have transferred to another school or graduated.
Fraud is misstating a material fact with the intent to gain financially. Many college hacking pranks are just that. They’re pranks designed to embarrass the target, not make money.
Collateral Consequences of University Student Criminal Activity
Immigration effects, disciplinary actions, and financial aid eligibility may be the three worst collateral consequences of criminal convictions for university students.
Some criminal convictions trigger immediate deportation proceedings. Other convictions adversely affect subsequent status adjustment requests. A “conviction” includes deferred disposition pleas, even though these pleas aren’t convictions for most other purposes.
As a result, unless a Marietta criminal defense lawyer convinces prosecutors to dismiss the charges or a court finds the defendant not guilty, the defendant must brace for impact, because some adverse immigration consequences are almost inevitable.
Criminal convictions often prompt on-campus disciplinary proceedings. Possible punishments range from loss of privileges to expulsion. Public universities must adhere to Fourteenth Amendment requirements, such as notice and hearing.
Private universities can usually make their own rules in this area, making disciplinary actions more difficult to handle.
Similar rules apply regarding financial aid. Criminal convictions don’t directly affect Pell grants and other government-backed programs. But convictions indirectly affect aid eligibility. Private scholarship funs usually make their own rules.
Gang crimes on college campuses are serious business. For a free consultation with an experienced Marietta criminal defense lawyer, contact The Phillips Law Firm, LLC. We routinely handle matters in Cobb County and nearby jurisdictions.
