georgia drug trafficking cases

A criminal defense lawyer will have the opportunity to cross-examine the arresting or searching officer, call any witnesses of his own, and tender evidence into the record for the courts consideration. Operation Ace in the Hole, whose name was derived from Adams alias, was an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation initiated in August 2018 in response to increasing levels of gang violence and drug-related activities in the Vidalia area. The indictments come after a two-year-long investigation titled "Operation Ghost Busted," which looked into gang-related drug trafficking plaguing the Brunswick, . In other words, marijuana smoke billowing from the window will give law enforcement probable to cause to search. Post Office Box 1702 These are considered to be drugs with low or moderate potential for psychological or physical dependence, a lower chance of abuse, and accepted medical use. If you live in the state of Georgia, you are probably familiar with many of the controlled substance regulations, but if you are visiting or passing through, you should have a basic understanding of the Georgia drug trafficking laws. Michael Duffy, 43, of Sandy Springs, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin on Thursday, May 20. Adams, a regional leader in the Gangster Disciples criminal street gang, was sentenced as an armed career criminal after pleading guilty to Distribution of Cocaine and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Weve been able to throw out two cases based on improper wiretaps. Furthermore, possession of larger quantities of certain types of drugs (such as cocaine, opium, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine, to name a few) allows the presumption that the drugs were being trafficked which comes with much harsher punishment. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Serving clients across the United States In most states, the case has to involve more than several pounds of marijuana or an ounce or more of harder drugs (like cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, LSD, etc.) For instance, the driver may grant permission for the officer to search the vehicles trunk. And then when they would distribute it in Atlanta, they would load it back up with cash, take it back to the Mexican border. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Under Georgia law, there are five different schedules or groups of types of drugs. Weve done that in many cases, and usually because the evidence that they find during the search is so important, if we can keep that out, the case will be dismissed. It's free to sign up and bid on jobs. Although all trafficking charges are somewhat dependent on the amount involved, according to the Georgia marijuana law, the amounts that result in significant penalties are much larger than other drugs. Operation Breaking the Bond is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. If the quantity is greater than 28 grams but less than 200 grams the person shall be sentenced to a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years and pay a fine of $200,000. During the search, a Kel-Tec 9mm pistol, 9mm and .40 caliber ammunition, a bag containing small drug baggies and a quantity of suspected narcotics were seized. So lets say they go to trial. The DEA encourages parents, along with their children, to educate themselves about the dangers of legal and illegal drugs by visiting DEAs interactive websites at www.justhinktwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com, www.campusdrugprevention.org and www.dea.gov. Those trips that were confirmed using interceptions and/or surveillance. Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program, Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community, DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements, Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist, Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems, Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources. The penalties for drug trafficking vary depending on the type of drug, the weight of the drugs, and whether it was a first or repeated offense. Under Georgia law O.C.G.A. Major South Georgia drug trafficker sentenced to nearly two decades in federal prison Drug Enforcement Administration Robert J. Murphy, Jr. Special Agent in Charge Atlanta @DEAAtlantaDiv October 13, 2020 Contact: Chuvalo Truesdell Phone Number: (571) 362-3517 For Immediate Release The heroin that was seized at that time was tested at the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Mid-Atlantic Laboratory and was positively identified as heroin weighing 98.47 grams. If that is the case, you can work with our law firm, and we can build a defense to help you get a . Because of the absurdly high mandatory minimum sentences for trafficking, your sentence could be substantially higher than it would be if the case were in federal court. We will continue to work diligently along with our local and federal partners to investigate and dismantle drug trafficking organizations., These sentences reinforce our strong commitment to dismantle gangs that plague our communities with drugs, guns and violence, and threaten the safety of the citizens who live in them, said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. We will continue to work diligently along with our local and federal partners to investigate and dismantle drug trafficking organizations.. Trafficking generally includes allegations that an individual possesses, sells, distributes or manufactures a large amount of illegal drugs. Federal arrest warrants were executed in Warner Robins, Georgia, and elsewhere, today resulting from a federal indictment returned on Nov. 16, charging the following individuals: Antoine Riley, 44, of Warner Robins, is charged with one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, one count of distribution of cocaine base, one count . In a press release from the department, on Jan . While the above-listed sentences are mandatory minimum sentences, there are three different ways a defendant can be sentenced to less than the mandatory minimum. With the removal of drugs, weapons and money and 12 defendants from the streets, the citizens of Bibb County will be immediately safer., Illegal drugs and illegally possessed firearms have no place in Georgia, said Vic Reynolds, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. On the way back from purchasing heroin from Duffy on February 20, 2019, Summerfords van was stopped and the heroin was seized. And it is. In Cobb County, bonds for trafficking range from $65,000 up to $125,000. One of the most powerful tools a criminal defense lawyer has in a drug trafficking or possession case is the motion to suppress evidence. Also follow DEA Atlanta via Twitter at @DEAATLANTADiv. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. A person who purchases or possesses a non-narcotic Schedule II drug can be punished by imprisonment for 1-3 years (if less than 2 grams), 1-8 years (if more than 2 grams but less than 4 grams), or for 1-15 years (if more than 4 grams but less than 28 grams). Nathaniel Ripley, 41, was sentenced Wednesday, Jan. 4, by . Actual possession means that an individual has an illegal substance on them, in their proximity or that he or she has direct control over the drugs. Georgia drug trafficking laws punish those who break the law and keep society safe. So I thought it might be helpful to talk about the basics. Well, if its this broad, you wonder, Are there any defenses to it? Because it is very broad under federal law. A traffic stop is only lawful where the officer had reasonable grounds based on specific and articulable facts for making the stop. Will it apply in my case? The difference between possession or selling methamphetamine from trafficking methamphetamine is the amount of drugs. At some point after the arraignment the State will provide the defendants lawyer with the discovery in the case. That means the State of Georgia applies a federal mandatory minimum sentence when it comes to drug crimes. If you are charged with trafficking marijuana in Georgia, and the amount seized was somewhere between 10 pounds and 2,000 pounds, it is a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a $100,000 fine. Albany: 229-430-7754 As a general matter, possession of less than 1 ounce of marijuana is a misdemeanor (O.C.G.A. 16-13-31.1 criminalize the sale, manufacturing, delivery, or transportation into the state of controlled substances. Macon, Georgia 31202-1702, Macon: 478-752-3511 Search for jobs related to Georgia drug trafficking cases or hire on the world's largest freelancing marketplace with 21m+ jobs. If a hearing is requested, the court will set the hearing down to be heard on a specific date. A locked padlock Nine defendants are among those facing federal charges including illegal possession of firearms after separate indictments by a grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia, while recent actions in Middle District of Georgia Arthur Anderson, 57, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. Bibb County Sheriff David J. Davis said, This case illustrates the continued commitment of Bibb Investigators and our local and federal partners to rid our streets of dangerous drugs and illegal firearms. In December 2017, following the arrest of a heroin dealer in Macon, federal and local law enforcement began investigating heroin distribution by co-defendant Summerford. MACON, GA - Twelve defendants have been charged in a newly unsealed federal indictment alleging a middle Georgia drug trafficking conspiracy. These violent, gang-related drug dealers can no longer peddle poison in Vidalia, Ga., and the surrounding community, said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Field Division. Contact The Waltman Firm to schedule a consultation today! In early February 2019, Duffy moved into a house in Sandy Springs, Georgia, and used that residence to sell heroin. However, if you are convicted of trafficking between 4 and 14 grams of heroin, morphine, and opium, the sentence is five to thirty years in prison with an associated fine of $50,000. After reviewing the discovery, a criminal defense attorney will decide whether to challenge the search by demanding that the court hold a hearing to determine the admissibility of the drugs. The following co-defendants have previously pleaded guilty for their crimes in federal court and are awaiting sentencing: Terrance Jackson, 43, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin. Lock Official websites use .gov A lock ( As with any important legal question, you should always consult aGeorgia criminal defense lawyerlicensed to practice in your jurisdiction. It can be manufacturing drugs. A search warrant must also particularly describe the place to be searched and the person or things to be seized. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Read aboutour firms successin Georgia criminal cases. Weve also been successful suppressing wiretaps, and we see wiretaps now in almost every drug case. To avoid accidentally committing a crime, it is wise to learn as much as you can about the drug trafficking laws in Georgia. Consequently, if the officer conducting the traffic stop cannot adequately articulate why a driver was committing or had committed a traffic offense or a crime, the traffic stop is considered to be unlawful. If you are convicted of trafficking an amount of cocaine between 28 and 200 grams, the sentence can be ten to thirty years in the state penitentiary and a fine of $200,000. The first obvious defense is that theres no unlawful agreement. A locked padlock The lawfulness of such a search depends heavily on how the search is characterized. A West Liberty-are man sentenced to prison for drug trafficking was among the cases handled recently in Logan County Common Pleas Court. On Friday, December 2, 2022, the GBI SWRDEO, Pelham Police Department, and the Thomas County Sheriff's Office executed three search warrants in Pelham, Mitchell County, GA. 264 E. Railroad Street, Pelham, GA, a car wash business owned and operated by Williams. Se Habla Espaol, 101 Marietta Street NWSuite 3300Atlanta, GA 30303(404) 223-3310, 2022 by The Church Law Firm LLC. Lock During December 2018 and January 2019, Duffy sold heroin from a trap house located in an Atlanta apartment. STATESBORO, GA -Two Vidalia, Ga., men who played key roles in an expansive, gang-related drug trafficking ring in middle Georgia each have been sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison. Finally, challenging an unlawful search or a wiretap. So when they go to trial, if they dont prove exactly whats in that indictment, then the jury cannot find the person guilty. If the search is characterized as an inventory search, the state must establish (among other things) that the search was conducted in accordance with that police departments policies regarding impounding vehicles and that the search was not simply a fishing expedition to find possible contraband. According to the ministry, at the time, that was the largest amount of drugs seized in Georgia. There are others, it all depends on the specific facts of the case. Bresach was sentenced to serve 84 months in prison to run consecutively to any term of imprisonment imposed in Peach County, Jones County, Putnam County and Houston County Superior Courts to be followed by three years of supervised release on March 3, 2021; Reginald Summerford, 49, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin. The drugs were hidden in such items as childrens backpacks and baby-formula bottles. The operation, which started in mid-2019, targeted sources of illegal drugs brought into and distributed in the Macon area, and led to a series of searches in which large amounts of cocaine, crack cocaine, oxycodone, and marijuana were seized, along with nearly $97,000 in cash, a machine for pressing kilo-sized bricks of cocaine, money counters, scales, and drug packaging materials.

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