A Habersham County jury found a former inmate guilty of felony obstruction of a law enforcement officer and battery for knocking a jailer unconscious in July 2023.
Mark Edward Roberts, 36, was sentenced to five years in prison without the possibility of probation or parole after the two-day trial that ended on April 22. According to the Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, Roberts was sentenced as a recidivist felony offender.
The incident happened on July 6, 2023, at the Habersham County Detention Center. According to prosecutors, evidence at trial showed that Roberts, who was being let out of lockdown in his cell, ran down the stairs and struck Jailer Juan Balderas in the head, knocking him unconscious. Roberts claimed the injury was an accident.
The sheriff’s office reported at the time that the first jailer to arrive on the scene after Balderas called for help “witnessed inmate Roberts in a frantic state, apologizing repeatedly.” Deputies restrained him without incident.
Balderas sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. He returned to duty a week later.
Long list of priors
Online records from the Georgia Department of Corrections show Roberts has a long list of priors. He spent time in jail and state prison for a range of offenses, including forgery, theft by taking, and simple battery.
According to the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, Roberts was jailed weeks before the jailhouse incident on multiple charges, including aggravated battery, terroristic threats and acts under the Family Violence Act, obstruction, and second-degree criminal damage to property.
After the attack, deputies charged him with aggravated battery and felony obstruction.
Assistant District Attorney J. Edward Staples prosecuted the case against Roberts. Senior Judge Ronnie Batchelor presided over the case. Judge Batchelor is filling in while Judge Nichole Carswell prepares to take the bench after being appointed to succeed the late Hon. Russell “Rusty” Smith.
