78 Year Old Americus Man Pleads To Distribution Of Xanax

ALBANY: Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces the following guilty which took place before Senior U.S. District Court Judge W. Louis Sands in Albany, Georgia on April 30, 2018.

Edward Lowell, age 78, of Americus, Georgia plead guilty on April 30, 2018 to Distribution of Xanax.  This plea will subject Mr. Lowell to a maximum sentence of ten (10) years imprisonment, a maximum fine of $250,000.00, or both. 

In his plea, Mr. Lowell admitted that on October 4, 2017, deputies were conducting surveillance of Mr. Lowell’s residence in Sumter County and observed a confidential informant (CI) at the residence.   The CI had revealed to agents that she routinely received prescription pills from “Eddie” at this residence.   A subsequent traffic stop and search of the CI revealed 10 Xanax pills which she confirmed she had just acquired from “Eddie.”  In a subsequent interview, the CI estimated that she received 8000 pills from “Eddie” over the years.

Another confidential informant (CI-2) turned over 61 pills—8 Xanax and 53 Amphetamine/Dextroamphetamine  which she had recently purchased from Mr. Lowell at the same residence for $150.  CI-2 stated that she had been obtaining pills from him for approximately ten (10) years and estimated that she had gotten at least 10,000 pills over time.

Mr. Lowell admitted that he had been obtaining his pills from “a black girl and her cousin”  and had been supplying pills to multiple individuals.   He estimated that he obtained and distributed 100 pills per month over a two-year period. 

This case was investigated by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Leah E. McEwen is prosecuting the case for the United States.

Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.