Two former East Hamilton football players indicted in armed robbery

A grand jury decided there was enough proof to uphold charges against two former East Hamilton High School football players who were arrested in connection with an armed robbery in May.

Jeffery Coleman, 19, and Martez Durrah, 20, were booked for the indictments Friday. They are charged with aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery and using a firearm during a felony.

The victim of the alleged robbery told police that Coleman and Durrah knocked on his door at a home on Morris Hill Road around 4 p.m. on May 19. He said Coleman was an acquaintance, so he opened the door.

Once the men were inside, Durrah put a gun to the victim’s head, forced the victim and his roommate to the floor and stole their money, the victim told police.

The two men then fled.

Investigators interviewed Coleman and he admitted to the robbery, according to police. The victim also picked Coleman and Durrah’s photos out of a photo lineup and identified them as the men who robbed him.

Both previously played football at East Hamilton High School, according to Times Free Press records. In February 2015, Durrah, who was a top college prospect, committed to play football at Middle Tennessee State University.

At the time, East Hamilton coach Ted Gatewell said Durrah had worked extra hard in his senior year to pull his grades up so he’d be qualified to play football in college. Durrah initially committed to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga before switching to MTSU.

Contact staff writer Shelly Bradbury at 423-757-6525 or sbradbury@timesfreepress.com with tips or story ideas. Follow her on Twitter @ShellyBradbury.