Habitual Felon Brothers Facing Almost 200 Charges

Published on September 11, 2026

Habitual Felon Brothers Facing Almost 200 Charges Thanks to Diligent Investigative Work

Crime Gun Suppression Team connects brothers to string of crimes, including shooting and attempted murder of CMPD officer

Charlotte, N.C. – (Friday, Sept. 11, 2026) – The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) announced today additional charges were filed in multiple cases involving habitual felons and brothers Jatarius Damond McCracking (Jatarius), 27, and Dionte Antonio McCracking (Dionte), 28.

Both Jatarius and Dionte McCracking have extensive criminal histories spanning more than 10 years with charges including Motor Vehicle Theft, Breaking and Entering into Motor Vehicles, Possession of Stolen Motor Vehicles, and Possession of Firearm by a Felon. Combined, they are facing 190 charges across multiple jurisdictions since July 27, 2026, underscoring the persistent and serious nature of their criminal activity.

CMPD’s Crime Gun Suppression Team (CGST) played a critical role in proactively identifying, connecting, and advancing charges against these individuals, working alongside multiple units and partner agencies to piece together complex evidence across jurisdictions.

“Removing career criminals like these from our streets is vitally important work and one of my top priorities,” said CMPD Chief of Police Estella D. Patterson. “The Crime Gun Suppression Team, which we established in 2021 to combat rising gun violence in the Charlotte area, has once again demonstrated the highest level of proactive and collaborative policing. While the McCracking brothers’ offenses are heavily property‑crime focused, we know how quickly such actions can escalate to violence—as they did in this case with the attempted murder of one of our officers. I am incredibly proud of the diligent investigative work displayed throughout this case, from identifying habitual felons to connecting evidence across multiple jurisdictions. Teamwork always wins, and our community is safer today because of the dedication of our investigators and our state and federal partners.”

On Aug. 27, 2026, thanks to the proactive work of CGST, detectives identified significant connections across multiple crimes, prompting a deeper investigation. A confirmed association of firearms was made in an Aug. 22 Armed Robbery/Assault with a Deadly Weapon investigation (20260822-0702-03) and three additional August shooting investigations (20260826-0235-01, 20260826-0412-01, 20260830-0500-00).

Further investigation linked the suspect vehicle from the armed robbery/shooting to the shooting cases, enabling detectives to connect Jatarius McCracking to these crimes. Additional suspects identified in several of these cases included Dionte McCracking.

On Sept. 2, CGST detectives located Jatarius at a residence in the 3000 block of Queen City Drive. When detectives attempted to make contact with him, Jatarius fled but was apprehended without incident. While in custody, he reported alleged injuries and was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.

During the search of the residence and associated stolen vehicle, CGST detectives located and seized:

One firearm, which was confirmed stolen
Work gloves that matched several motor vehicle theft cases

After receiving medical treatment, Jatarius was taken to the Law Enforcement Center (LEC) to be interviewed by CGST detectives. At the conclusion of the interview, Jatarius was transferred to the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office (MSCO) and charged with:

Possession Of Firearm by Felon
Possession Of Stolen Firearm
Resist, Delay, Obstruct
Malicious Conduct by Prisoner

In addition, Jatarius was served multiple warrants for charges including:

Motor Vehicle Thefts
Breaking and Entering a Motor Vehicle
Larceny of a Motor Vehicle
Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle
Probation/Parole Violation

At the time of his Sept. 2 arrest, Jatarius was on Parole/Post Release for a prior Shooting into Occupied Dwelling conviction, and CGST detectives were working in collaboration with the Department of Adult Corrections. In total, Jatarius has been charged with or served with warrants for a total of 128 charges.

Following this arrest, CGST detectives continued leading the investigation into Dionte McCracking.

On Sept. 9, at approximately 12:23 a.m., the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) received a Suspicious Vehicle call for service in the 1200 block of Enderly Road in the Metro Division. The caller reported two suspects involved in suspected criminal activity, later identified as copper wire theft.

An officer arrived on scene at approximately 12:28 a.m. The first responding officer encountered Dionte attempting to flee. During a physical struggle, Dionte produced a firearm and shot the officer in the shoulder before fleeing the scene. The officer did not discharge their service weapon. He was transported to a local hospital, where he remains in stable condition as he continues to recover.

Through continued diligence of detectives—built on the foundation of ongoing efforts by CGST detectives—Dionte was quickly identified and located at a residence in the 7600 block of Kings Ridge Way in the Steele Creek Division. Upon being located by CMPD officers, Dionte barricaded himself inside the residence, prompting a response from CMPD’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team.

At approximately 2:42 p.m., after a multi-hour standoff, Dionte was taken into custody by K9 and SWAT officers.

Dionte was transported to the Law Enforcement Center (LEC) where he was interviewed by detectives. At the conclusion of the interview, Dionte was transferred to the custody of the MCSO and was charged with:

Attempted Murder on a Law Enforcement Officer
Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer with a Firearm
Possession of a Firearm by Felon
Possession of a Stolen Firearm

CGST detectives along with division detectives continued investigating and linked Dionte to additional shootings within the Charlotte area. As of Sept. 11, Dionte has been served the warrants for a total of 62 charges since July 27 including Shooting Into Occupied Dwelling, Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill, Felony Conspiracy, Motor Vehicle Theft, Breaking and Entering into Motor Vehicles, Possession of Stolen Motor Vehicles, and Possession of Firearm by a Felon.

CMPD extends its appreciation to the specialized units whose expertise and coordination were essential throughout this investigation, including the Homicide Unit, SWAT, Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT), and the K9 Unit. CMPD also thanks its invaluable state and federal partners — the State Bureau of Investigations, the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office, the United States Attorney's Office, the North Carolina Department of Corrections, Homeland Security Investigations, and the ATF Violent Crimes Task Force — whose continued collaboration strengthens our ability to identify, track, and apprehend habitual violent offenders across jurisdictions.

The investigation into these cases is active and ongoing with additional charges expected. As additional information develops, it will be released by the CMPD’s Public Affairs Division. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-8477 (TIPS) and speak directly to a detective. The public can also leave information anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or the Charlotte Crime Stoppers Website. For additional information about this case, please refer to the reports:

CMPD – 20260727-0806-04, 20260727-1020-01, 20260810-0634-01, 20260810-0946-00, 20260811-0433-02, 20260814-0827-03, 20260814-0917-01, 20260814-1206-01, 20260815-0639-04, 20260816-1130-04, 20260822-0702-03, 20260822-1205-00, 20260826-0235-01, 20260826-0412-01, 20260827-2243-00, 20260829-0754-02, 20260901-2301-03, 20260902-1135-01, 20260909-0023-02, 20260909-1005-05
Rock Hill Police Department – 2608160452
York County Sheriff’s Office – S0202607906, S0202607912

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