Quiet RICO: How a Small-Town Georgia DA Used a Powerful Law Without the Spotlight

By Michael Phillips | FLBayNews

When most Americans hear about Georgia’s RICO law, they think of splashy, headline-grabbing prosecutions in Atlanta — from rapper Young Thug to former President Donald Trump. But far from the cameras and cable news panels, a small-town district attorney south of Atlanta has been using the same powerful statute in a very different way — and with striking results.

According to a December 5, 2025 report by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Marie Broder, the district attorney for Georgia’s Griffin Judicial Circuit, has brought nearly as many RICO cases as Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis — despite serving a fraction of the population and operating with far fewer resources.

A Rural Prosecutor, A Serious Tool

Broder has led the Griffin Judicial Circuit since June 2020, overseeing four mostly rural counties including Spalding and Pike. During her tenure, her office filed 13 RICO indictments involving 299 defendants, primarily targeting organized street gangs linked to drug trafficking, violent crime, and murder.

By comparison, Fulton County DA Fani Willis has filed 41 RICO cases involving more than 1,200 defendants during roughly the same period. While Willis’s numbers are larger in absolute terms — as expected in a major metro area — the scale of Broder’s work stands out given the size of her jurisdiction.

What makes Broder’s record notable is not just the volume, but the restraint.

“I don’t believe in just using RICO just to use it,” Broder told the AJC. “You need to have a point.”

Focused, Not Flashy

Rather than sweeping indictments for publicity, Broder’s office used RICO selectively, focusing on gangs with a demonstrated grip on local communities. Her cases targeted groups such as Zoo Krew (linked to the Bloods), Ghostface Gangsters, and other organized networks tied to shootings, meth trafficking, and coordinated robberies.

Major operations included:

• Operation Blood Clot (2023): A Spalding County grand jury indicted 76 defendants connected to Bloods-affiliated gangs operating in Griffin apartment complexes.
• Operation Krack the Ice (2023): A multi-county RICO case involving 34 defendants tied to meth trafficking and gang activity, with links extending beyond Georgia.

These cases frequently ended in guilty pleas and long prison sentences, avoiding the prolonged delays that have plagued some high-profile urban RICO prosecutions. In one of the most tragic cases, a Zoo Krew member pleaded guilty in 2025 to felony murder and related charges in the drive-by killing of an 11-year-old child, receiving life plus five years.

Results Without the Controversy

Broder’s approach has largely avoided the criticism now surrounding broader RICO applications in Fulton County, where delays, procedural disputes, and political scrutiny have dominated headlines. In contrast, Griffin’s cases unfolded with little fanfare but tangible outcomes — dismantled gangs, lengthy sentences, and fewer reports of gang-driven violence in the region.

State officials credit collaboration with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit for amplifying the impact, even in resource-limited rural counties.

Lessons Beyond Georgia

For Floridians watching the expansion of prosecutorial power nationwide, the contrast raises important questions. RICO is an extraordinary legal tool, capable of dismantling criminal enterprises — but also prone to abuse or overreach when used indiscriminately.

Broder’s record suggests a model rooted in restraint: apply the law narrowly, focus on clear patterns of criminal conduct, and prioritize community safety over media attention.

A Changing of the Guard

Broder is retiring at the end of 2025, with her chief assistant, David Studdard, set to take over in January 2026. Studdard has pledged to continue aggressive anti-gang enforcement, calling Broder’s leadership “victim-focused and inspirational.”

As Georgia — and states like Florida — continue debating the proper scope of powerful prosecution tools, Broder’s quiet tenure offers a reminder: sometimes the most effective justice happens far from the spotlight.