Mother and son convicted of making false statements following Houston County traffic stop

According to the district attorney’s office, the charges arose following a March 8, 2025, traffic stop on Interstate 75 involving a Chevrolet truck in which Wright was a passenger.

HOUSTON COUNTY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Two people were found guilty of making felony false statements, according to the Houston County District Attorney’s Office.

42-year-old Juana Shantail Ash of Atlanta and 22-year-old Omar Knite Wright of Atlanta were sentenced on February 10 to three years of probation and 48 hours in the county jail after a two-day jury trial in Houston County Superior Court on charges of felony-grade making a false statement. Wright was additionally found guilty of misdemeanor obstruction of officers.

According to the district attorney’s office, the charges arose following a March 8, 2025, traffic stop on Interstate 75 involving a Chevrolet truck in which Wright was a passenger.

The news release states that “during the stop, a struggle ensued between Wright and Houston County Sheriff’s Office deputies after Wright refused to follow lawful commands to exit the vehicle as the other occupants of the vehicle had already done.”

A taser had to be deployed on Wright to force his compliance due to safety concerns because of Wright initiating the struggle from the passenger’s seat closest to moving interstate traffic.

Wright was speaking with Ash, his mother, on his cell phone via FaceTime during the struggle. After being checked on scene by EMS due to the deployment of the Taser, Wright was taken into custody and transported to the Houston County jail.

On March 12, 2025, Ash met with Major Chambers of the Houston County Sheriff’s Office to file a formal complaint. In their official statement to Major Chambers, both Ash and Wright alleged that deputies violently beat on the vehicle’s window with a weapon, shouted profanity, and deputies had weapons drawn ready to fire.

They further claimed Wright was “tased, AGAIN and AGAIN-while handcuffed and now unconscious” and that deputies refused to provide medical assistance.

According to the district attorney’s office, “each of these allegations proved to be wholly false and fabricated upon review of the body camera and dash camera footage of the stop and interaction, the entirety of which was captured and recorded.”

The news release states that after the filing of the false report, Ash went on to engage in a widespread media campaign promulgating her false allegations, including referring to the deputies as being “bloodthirsty” multiple times in interviews.

Ash and Wright further misled the local NAACP chapter into inquiring about the circumstances of the stop and the use of force. Following an investigation, Major Chambers determined that none of the accusations made against the responding deputies were true, and the charges of making a false statement against both defendants were referred to the Houston County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

Chief Assistant District Attorney Greg Winters released the following statement:

“The people of Houston County have an excellent relationship with law enforcement, and that’s no accident. It’s built on the integrity and dedication our officers show every single day, and on a system of accountability that applies to everyone. We hold our law enforcement to high standards, with consequences when those standards aren’t met. False allegations of misconduct harm everyone. It harms the officers who serve honorably, the community that depends on them, and the trust we’ve all worked to build. False allegations will face consequences as well.

I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Houston County Sheriff’s Office and all law enforcement officers serving Houston County. Their hard work, dedication, and professionalism make a difference every day. These officers accept the risks that come with protecting our community. They put their lives on the line so we can be safer. They have my respect, and they should have the respect of everyone in Houston County.”

District Attorney Eric Edwards released the following statement:

“This case showcases a deliberate attempt to fabricate a narrative and benefit from public outrage. A jury of Houston County citizens reviewed the evidence, including the body camera footage, and unanimously rejected these false allegations. The facts matter. The truth matters. And the truth is that these deputies acted lawfully and professionally during a difficult roadside encounter, while the defendants knowingly made false statements and then attempted to amplify those lies through the media and community organizations. That conduct is not protected speech—it is a crime that undermines public trust in the justice system.

False accusations of police brutality do real harm. They endanger officers who serve honorably, as every deputy involved in this case did. They inflame community tensions without basis and erode confidence in legitimate claims that would deserve to be taken seriously. Weaponizing false narratives for attention or leverage is reckless and unacceptable.

The verdict in this case sends a clear message: Houston County will not tolerate dishonest attempts to vilify our law enforcement officers who are doing their jobs lawfully, and we will hold people accountable when they knowingly lie to advance a false story. Justice in this case was decided by a jury of the defendants’ peers—and the jury got it right.”