News

ALBANY, Ga. – A Tifton, Georgia, resident identified as the lead supplier to an 18-defendant armed drug trafficking ring responsible for distributing between 1.5 and 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine into the community was sentenced to prison for his crime resulting from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation.

Rafon Carithers, aka “Tweed,” 34, was sentenced to serve 310 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release on March 30, after he previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on May 19, 2022

ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia man guilty of drug distribution was sentenced to 240 months in prison today after federal agents discovered fabric soaked in methamphetamine and crystal meth in packages at the Atlanta airport addressed to him from Mexico.

Chad Williamson, 44, of Fitzgerald, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner today after he pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Sept. 8. There is no parole in the federal system.

COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Talbot County, Georgia, resident who was under investigation for allegedly drugging women admitted to illegally possessing numerous firearms in federal court today. 

David Gibson, 59, of Talbotton, Georgia, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person today before U.S. District Judge Clay Land. Gibson faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for June 14.

ATHENS, Ga. –A $5,000,000 civil settlement has been reached with Mark A. Ellis, M.D., and his practice, Ellis Pain Center (EPC), a pain management practice in the Athens area. Part of the civil settlement includes EPC’s practice manager, Patsy Allen. 

The case that was resolved by this settlement agreement—U.S. v. Mark A. Ellis, M.D., Patsy Allen, Mark A. Ellis, M.D., P.C., and Ellis Practice Management, LLC, 3:19-cv-107—was filed on Nov. 27, 2019. The settlement was finalized on Friday, March 17, 2023. 

The defendants agreed to pay $5,000,000 to the United States to resolve allegations

ATHENS, Ga. – Federal agents are searching for an Athens man charged in a 28-count, ten-defendant indictment alleging an armed fentanyl trafficking ring responsible for distributing multiple kilograms of fentanyl into the Athens-Clarke County community.

Christopher King, 34, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted, King faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10,000,000 fine

MACON, Ga. – U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary took the oath of office at a community-attended formal investiture ceremony at the William Augustus Bootle Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Macon this afternoon.

Approximately 150 community members, law enforcement, judges and civic leaders attended today’s investiture ceremony honoring U.S. Attorney Leary, who was officially sworn-in to serve as the presidentially-appointed and U.S. Senate-confirmed U.S. Attorney on Dec. 12, 2022. Today’s investiture is a traditional ceremonial event, which included participation from Mr. Leary’s family

MACON, Ga. – A Macon resident who was previously convicted and sentenced to ten years imprisonment for voluntary manslaughter was sentenced to federal prison after he was caught trying to sell a firearm and ammunition in the community.

Jeffery Maurice Willis, 45, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 33 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on March 7 after he previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system.

ALBANY, Ga. – A Valdosta, Georgia, resident with a prior felony conviction for aggravated assault and robbery by intimidation was sentenced to prison after officers took him into custody in illegal possession of a loaded firearm during a domestic violence call.

Sammie Eubanks, 28, was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison to run concurrently to any sentenced imposed by the Superior Court of Lanier County, Georgia, for probation violation to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on March 3 after he previously pleaded guilty to possession of a

MACON, Ga. – United States Attorney Peter D. Leary announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia has implemented the new United States Attorney’s Offices’ Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy released this week.

The policy, which is effective immediately, details the circumstances under which a company will be considered to have made a voluntary self-disclosure (VSD) of misconduct to a United States Attorney’s Office (USAO), and provides transparency and predictability to companies and the defense bar concerning the concrete benefits and potential outcomes in

ALBANY, Ga. – A south Georgia resident who admitted to producing child sexual assault material (CSAM) involving minor victims was sentenced to the statutory maximum prison term for his crimes.

Jonathan G. Hardin, 38, of Enigma, Georgia, was sentenced to serve a total of 720 months in prison (360 months for each count) by U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on March 2, after he pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child sexual assault material. In addition, Hardin will have to register as a sex offender for life upon his release from federal prison. There is no parole.

MACON, Ga. – Multiple defendants connected to a methamphetamine trafficking ring centered in Milledgeville, Georgia, that was responsible for distributing a total of five kilograms of methamphetamine pleaded guilty to their crimes recently resulting from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation.

Jarvis Havior aka “J Bo,” 31, of Milledgeville, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Feb. 16 before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell. Havior faces a minimum of ten years in prison to a maximum of life imprisonment to be followed by