Javonte Norfleet
On April 9-10, 2025, First ADA Mike Rakaczewski brought Javonte Norfleet of Conyers Georgia to trial a second time for sexual assault. Norfleet was found guilty of Indecent Assault and Unlawful Contact with a Minor. Norfleet was tried last year for the same charges, but that jury was unable to reach a verdict, and a mistrial based on the hung jury resulted.
It was a tough decision for the young victim to go through the trauma of yet another trial. The victim and her family wanted both justice and a chance at closure. Rakaczewski, a dogged prosecutor with a wealth of experience in special victim cases knew the difficulties of retrials for the prosecution. . Yet the seriousness of the case certainly compelled the decision to proceed.
The charges arose out of an investigation led by Detective Erica Burk of the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department who responded to the complaint of a sixteen-year-old African American girl that she was sexually assaulted by an unknown male in a tractor trailer parked in a lot in Mount Pocono. A sexual Assault examination of the victim revealed trauma consistent with the assault and DNA was obtained which would later match Norfleet.
Through the description provided by the victim and a careful review of possible video surveillance from several locations around the lot, the tractor trailer was traced to Western Express Company from Covington Georgia. Contact with the company led to the identity of the operator Javonte Norfleet. Norfleet’s appearance matched the description provided by the victim.
Charges were approved by Rakaczewski and Norfleet was arrested by Georgia authorities. During an interview Norfleet would change his story and eventually admit to having sex with the victim but claim it was consensual.
The jury took about two and a half hours to reach its verdict. It was an emotional time for the victim and her family. They were excellently supported by Victim Advocate Melissa Ackerman of our office.
Upon the announcement of the verdict, Mr. Rakaczewski moved to increase Norfleet’s bail, and he was handcuffed and taken into custody by Deputy Sheriffs. Rakaczewski notes: “My heart goes out to the victim and her family. This was a very traumatic experience for them, and it was extremely difficult to undergo this process, not once but twice. I am proud that they stuck through it to the end and that in the end she was vindicated, resulting in a felony conviction and sex offender registration for her attacker.”