Defendant With Lengthy Criminal Record In Dougherty County Sentenced To 135 Months On Federal Drug, Gun Charges

ALBANY, GA – A defendant with four prior criminal convictions in Dougherty County was sentenced today on federal gun and drug charges, said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Gordon Price, Jr., 35, of Albany, GA, was sentenced to 135 months for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Possession of Cocaine with the Intent to Distribute by the Honorable Leslie Gardner in Albany federal court. Prior to his federal conviction, Mr. Price was convicted in Dougherty Superior Court for Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute (case number 01-R-298), Possession of Cocaine (01-R-440), Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute (08-R-561) and Possession of Cocaine (12-R-720), all felony offenses. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to the plea agreement, officers with the Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit (ADDU) executed a search warrant at a room Mr. Price, Jr. was renting at the Townhouse Motel on February 24, 2017.   The search was based on three controlled purchases of crack cocaine at that location by a confidential informant who identified the seller as the Defendant. As officers approached the motel, Mr. Price, Jr. was seen exiting the motel room.  He was immediately taken into custody based on a parole violation warrant.  The defendant had approximately $1127 in cash, and inside his room officers found crack cocaine, cocaine and marijuana, two digital scales, a box of plastic sandwich bags, and a loaded Glock 9 mm handgun.

“Our Office is working closely with law enforcement to capture and prosecute repeat felons that do nothing but bring ruin to families and neighborhoods,” said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “I want to thank the agents with the Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit and the Dougherty District Attorney’s Office for their good work investigating this case and getting a career criminal off the streets.”

“The defendant is a known criminal in our community and has been creating havoc for years. He has shown no respect for our city and the laws that protect our citizens. Mr. Price, Jr. is hard core, and has to be dealt with in a hard core manner with prison time. I hope this strong sentence will deter others from trying to emulate his criminal choices,” said Greg Edwards, the District Attorney for the Dougherty Judicial Circuit.

The defendant’s arrest and prosecution is a result of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case was investigated by the Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Dasher prosecuted the case for the United States.

Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.