From December 2018 to February 2019, Summerford generally went to Duffy to resupply heroin approximately every four to five days and usually purchased approximately 142 grams on each trip. They kept on after the person. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. In 2014, the Ministry of Internal Affairs seized approx. By Page Pate. A traffic stop is only lawful where the officer had reasonable grounds based on specific and articulable facts for making the stop. Finally, challenging an unlawful search or a wiretap. Probable cause to search an automobile exists when the facts and circumstances would lead a reasonably discreet and prudent man to believe that the contents of the vehicle offend the law. Williams was in possession of approximately one ounce of methamphetamine and arrested. If you are charged with trafficking cocaine, that is not merely a slap on the wrist. Under the law, there are two types of possession. As outlined below, Georgia law defines both these controversial elements very broadly in trafficking matters. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( Post Office Box 1702 But those are the basic elements and defenses involved in a federal drug conspiracy charge. Eight men and four women are charged as part of Operation Breaking the Bond, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation centered in the Bibb County area, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has indicted 76 defendants following a large-scale drug trafficking investigation in Georgia, according to a Wednesday press release. In the vast majority of cases involving the search of a home, law enforcement is required to obtain a valid warrant before setting foot inside of the home. Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Drug trafficking is a serious criminal charge based on certain quantities of illegal drugs. They also criminalize the mere possession of larger quantities of certain controlled substances, picking up where O.C.G.A. Theyll be recording the conversations that people in this alleged conspiracy have, then they will use those tapes against them in court, but they have to do it the right way. Motions to suppress evidence are based on the idea that law enforcement has violated an individual's Fourth Amendment right to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures or some other right protected by a specific Georgia law. A person convicted of possessing a drug in Schedule III, IV, or V may be imprisoned for 1 to 5 years. Individuals will face the possibility of federal prosecution when found trafficking large quantities of illegal drugs into the Middle District of Georgia., With the arrest of Duffy, the head of the snake was cut off of this major heroin pipeline that ran from Atlanta to Middle Georgia, said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. And so, while he actually helped them commit the offense, he wasnt aware of the unlawful plan,. All rights reserved. Initial appearances for the defendants occurred today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles H. Weigle. Call us or complete the form below. They have evidence that an individual is involved in the drug business, but they have charged him with a bunch of people that he didnt know. Se Habla Espaol, 101 Marietta Street NWSuite 3300Atlanta, GA 30303(404) 223-3310, 2022 by The Church Law Firm LLC. Adams was sentenced to 165 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, while Jackson was sentenced to 188 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. 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. SE, Suite #417 Marietta, GA 30060, Title 16 Crimes and Offenses Chapter 13 Controlled Substances, Trafficking cocaine: O.C.G.A. 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 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. Dews was sentenced to serve 20 months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release on March 3, 2021; and. Disclaimer|Sitemap. Trafficking generally includes allegations that an individual possesses, sells, distributes or manufactures a large amount of illegal drugs. . Attorneys Noah J. Abrams and OCDETF Coordinator Marcela C. Mateo. An official website of the United States government. Drug trafficking laws in Georgia impose mandatory federal minimum sentences if convicted of this crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McCullers is prosecuting the case. The difference between drug trafficking and other drug crimes-such as possession of drugs, distribution of drugs or drug production-is the number of drugs implicated in the offense. One way this may occur is when law enforcement exceeds the scope of the search warrant. These are some defenses. Another high-profile case also involving Georgia took place in 2014. 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. Operation Breaking the Bond is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. On the way back from purchasing heroin from Duffy on February 20, 2019, Summerfords van was stopped and the heroin was seized. The stop cannot be arbitrary or harassing. Two Key Defendants in Middle Georgia Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Sentenced to Federal Prison 'Operation Ace in the Hole' targeted major drug distributors 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. A Winsted, Connecticut, man pleaded guilty today to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl over the darknet. The punishment for trafficking or distributing drugs in any of these schedules is 1 to 10 years imprisonment. We will contact you as soon as possible if we are able to help. In many consent cases, an officer will exceed the scope of the drivers consent. As a general matter, possession of less than 1 ounce of marijuana is a misdemeanor (O.C.G.A. When the government charges someone, they draft an indictment, and thats agreed to by the grand jury, and then the government is stuck with that document. A lock ( The way to challenge that is by filing a motion early in the case, getting a hearing, and then showing the judge that the search was unlawful. Situations often arise where a driver of an automobile is taken into custody for a traffic infraction such as driving with a suspended license or DUI. When trying to obtain a search warrant, law enforcement must prepare a supporting affidavit setting forth all relevant facts. And then once the government realized that, they dismissed the case. I represented a pilot who had a charter airline service. For example, for cocaine, as little as 28 grams or a mixture that is at least ten percent cocaine can result in serious consequences. Investigators from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), working with federal and local law enforcement agencies, identified Deltinaud Toussaint, a/k/a Black, a/k/a Tino, a/k/a Tino Black, 44, of Vidalia, as the primary supplier of the organizations narcotics including methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA or Ecstasy, and marijuana through connections in Atlanta. Our firm has offices inAtlanta GA and Brunswick GA, and we frequently travel to other courts across the state to represent people in serious criminal cases. A locked padlock On February 22, 2019, pursuant to a valid federal search warrant, law enforcement searched Duffys narcotics sales location at his Sandy Springs home. 16-13-30). If a defendant fails to file a motion to suppress evidence within this timeframe, he or she may waive the right to challenge the lawfulness of the search that led to the discovery of the contraband. The punishment for a controlled substance offense depends on whether the drug was only possessed or if it was manufactured or distributed, type of substance, and the weight of the substance. In other words, marijuana smoke billowing from the window will give law enforcement probable to cause to search. On the other hand, constructive possession means the individual has the illegal substances in an area where they have dominion or control over them. The defendants charged in the 24-count indictment, most of whom have made initial court appearances, include: Prentice Bond, a/k/a P, a/k/a Peze, 35, of Macon, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine, Crack and Marijuana; Distribution of Cocaine; two counts of Distribution of 28 Grams or More of Cocaine; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, 28 Grams or More of Crack Cocaine, and a Quantity of Marijuana; Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Travis Robinson, a/k/a T-Roc, 45, of Fairburn, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine, Crack and Marijuana; two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Xavier Cross, a/k/a Ro, a/k/a Kairo, 45, or Macon, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine, Crack and Marijuana; three counts of Distribution of Cocaine; two counts of Distribution of 28 Grams or More of Cocaine; Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana; Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Cocaine, and a Quantity of Oxycodone; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana; two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and two counts of Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Charles Seang, 28, of Lilburn, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine, Crack and Marijuana; Chester Hall, a/k/a Cheeseburger, a/k/a Cheese, 40, of Macon, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine, Crack and Marijuana; Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana; Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Cocaine, and a Quantity of Oxycodone; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Geneva Harvey, 39, of Macon, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine, Crack and Marijuana; Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana; two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Shaneka Jackson, 43, of Macon, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine, Crack and Marijuana; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, 28 Grams or More of Crack, and a Quantity of Marijuana; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Rodreco Jones, a/k/a Freako, a/k/a Rico, 39, of Macon, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine, Crack and Marijuana; Earnest Milline, a/k/a Rome, a/k/a Jerome, 62, of Macon, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine, Crack and Marijuana; two counts of Distribution of Cocaine; and Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana; Morgan Allison, 22, of Macon, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine, Crack and Marijuana; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; George Leverett, 28, Macon, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine, Crack and Marijuana; and. 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