Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: November 3, 2008
Contact : Sue McKinney
EDDIE MILTON GAREY, JR. SENTENCING AFFIRMED
Maxwell Wood, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia announced today that on October 31, 2008, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed the prison sentence of Eddie Milton Garey, Jr.
In early September 2003, the Macon - Bibb County 911 Center received a series of disturbing calls from the same unidentified caller. Using several different cellular telephones and a computer generated voice, the caller tried to extort money by threatening to bomb and gas various locations throughout Macon, Georgia. On September 11, 2003, federal agents traced the calls to a local residence, and found themselves at the home of Garey.
Garey was tried in December 2004. On December 17, 2004, a jury in Columbus, Georgia found the defendant guilty of twenty- seven (27) charges arising from the bomb threats. On August 10, 2005, the Honorable Clay D. Land, United States District Judge, imposed a sentence of 360 months imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
On August 20, 2008, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, sitting en banc, found that Garey properly waived his right to counsel when Garey announced that he would represent himself.
The October 31st decision affirmed Garey’s 360 month sentence. A panel of the appellate court found that Garey was appropriately sentenced under the United States Sentencing Guidelines, and that the district court properly found that Garey’s offensive conduct was a federal crime of terrorism.
Agencies involved in the investigation included the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Macon Police Department and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office. The appeals were handled by Elizabeth A. Olson and Elizabeth D. Collery, United States Department of Justice, Criminal Appellate Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Dean S. Daskal. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Tracia M. King, Jennifer Kolman and Harry J. Fox, Jr.
Any questions concerning this matter should be addressed to Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2602.
