Press Release
Inmate, Co-Defendants Plead Guilty In Prison Drug Distribution Conspiracy
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Georgia
ALBANY – Three defendants involved in scheme to deliver illegal drugs to inmates in prison will be sentenced for their crimes, announced Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Crystal Avery, 37, of Lithia Springs, GA, Timothy Bailey, 31, of Lawrenceville, GA and Cody Brousshard, 35, of Lawrenceville, GA have all pleaded guilty to criminal charges related to a drug ring operating out of Calhoun State Prison, where Mr. Brousshard was an inmate. Mr. Brousshard entered a guilty plea in December 2018 to one count of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances. Ms. Avery pleaded guilty on Monday, March 11, 2019 to one count Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances and Mr. Bailey pleaded guilty on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 to one count Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances. Avery and Bailey entered their pleas before the Honorable W. Louis Sands and Brousshard entered his plea before the Honorable Leslie A. Gardner in Albany federal court. These charges carry a minimum 10 years to a maximum life term imprisonment and a $10,000,000 fine. The sentencing dates have not been finalized.
According to the facts in the plea agreements, Mr. Brousshard was an inmate in Calhoun State Prison and directed the acquisition, packaging and delivery of methamphetamine to two Georgia prisons on several occasions. On May 21, 2018, Calhoun County deputies located Ms. Avery and Mr. Bailey stuck in field behind Calhoun State Prison in a white ford F-250. The deputies noticed packaging material including saran wrap, vacuum seal bags, and electrical tape inside the truck, all commonly used to disguise contraband being smuggled into the prison. The field is commonly used as a place to hide contraband for inmate work details to retrieve. The deputies were directed to two bundles by Ms. Avery, camouflaged in grass, containing 57 grams of methamphetamine. Mr. Bailey admitted to four deliveries of drug bundles directed by inmate Brousshard, the first two at Dooly State Prison where Mr. Broussard was an inmate before being transferred to Calhoun State Prison.
“Smuggling illegal drugs and other paraphernalia into our prisons is a serious and ongoing problem that puts our prison employees and other inmates in danger. We are targeting these inside jobs, and we will ferret out those inmates attempting to continue their criminal ways while incarcerated, and those on the outside who choose to engage in this unlawful conduct,” said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
The case was investigated by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department, the Georgia Department of Corrections and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Leah McEwen is prosecuting the case for the Government.
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.
Updated April 17, 2019
Topic
Drug Trafficking