A Chattooga County man who was acquitted of murder last week in the shooting death of Christopher “DJ” Chapman could still face a substantial prison sentence after the jury convicted him on two lesser charges.

Deoveon Lawayne Price was found not guilty of the murder charges stemming from the June 6, 2025 shooting on Oak Street in Summerville. However, the jury found Price guilty of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

Price has not yet been sentenced, but Georgia law provides a significant range of punishment for the two convictions.

Aggravated Assault Carries Up To 20 Years

Under Georgia law, aggravated assault generally carries a sentence of one to 20 years in prison.

Georgia Code Section 16-5-21 covers aggravated assault involving a deadly weapon or other circumstances likely to cause serious bodily injury. Unless a special sentencing provision applies, the punishment is not less than one year and not more than 20 years.

Firearm Conviction Adds Five Years

Price was also convicted of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

Under Georgia Code Section 16-11-106, a first conviction generally carries five years of confinement, and that sentence is to be served consecutively to the sentence for the underlying felony.

That means the firearm sentence is not simply folded into the aggravated-assault sentence.

Maximum Exposure Could Reach 25 Years

Based on the two convictions, Price could potentially face:

Aggravated assault: 1 to 20 years

Firearm during commission of a crime: 5 years

If the judge imposed the maximum 20-year sentence for aggravated assault, followed by the five-year firearm sentence, Price could face an aggregate sentence of up to 25 years.

That does not mean he will receive 25 years. The actual sentence will be determined by the Superior Court judge.

Murder Acquittal Significantly Changed The Case

The jury’s decision to acquit Price of murder dramatically reduced his potential punishment.

Price had been prosecuted in connection with Chapman’s death after the two men were involved in an altercation on Oak Street. Summerville Police said Chapman was shot in the chest and later died. Price was taken into custody a short time later.

The jury ultimately rejected the murder charges but found Price criminally responsible for aggravated assault and the firearm offense.

That distinction is important: Price was not convicted of murdering Chapman, and his sentence must be based on the crimes for which he was actually convicted.

Sentencing Still To Come

At sentencing, the prosecution may argue for a harsher sentence, while the defense can present mitigating information and ask for leniency. The judge will decide the sentence within the limits set by Georgia law.

Price should also receive credit for time already served following his June 2025 arrest, although the exact application of that jail credit will be reflected in the final sentence.

For now, the key point is that Price faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years for aggravated assault, plus a mandatory five-year consecutive firearm sentence, bringing his maximum potential exposure to 25 years.