Inmate Sentenced To 300 Months For Dealing Meth In Prison

ALBANY— A methamphetamine broker inside Calhoun State Prison has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for his crime, said U.S. Attorney Charles “Charlie” Peeler. Edwin Murillo, 27, of Gwinnett County, was sentenced to 300 months in prison consecutive to his state sentences set to expire in 2034 by United States District Judge Louis Sands on Thursday, April 16, 2019. A co-conspirator, Peggy Bentley, a/k/a “Peggy Cowart”, 48, of Watkinsville, GA has pled guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and is scheduled to be sentenced for her crime on May 22, 2019 before U.S. District Judge Ashley Royal in Athens federal court. Ms. Bentley faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $10 million fine. There is no parole in the federal system.

Mr. Murillo was an inmate at Calhoun State Prison in Morgan, Georgia. On November 5, 2017, correctional officers found a contraband cell phone hidden under Mr. Murillo’s bunk inside the prison and he was consequently put in more restrictive housing. Officers conducted a shakedown in Mr. Murillo’s newly assigned housing unit a few days later, on November 8. As Mr. Murillo was being moved to a temporary holding location for the unit search, officers observed him attempting to conceal an item by holding his hands in front of his pants. A pat down uncovered an Irish Spring Soap box sealed with duct tape in his pants containing 76 grams of pure methamphetamine, as well as a small amount of marijuana, tobacco and a cell phone charger. A download of Mr. Murillo’s cell phone had numerous text messages related to drug distribution and directing payments for drugs to others, including text messages with co-conspirator Ms. Bentley.

According to her signed plea agreement, law enforcement first discovered Ms. Bentley was distributing large amounts of methamphetamine in several northeast Georgia counties in June 2017. In April 2018, a confidential informant notified law enforcement that Ms. Bentley was still dealing methamphetamine. At the time, Ms. Bentley was out on bond for two separate state arrests involving the distribution of methamphetamine in July 2017 and December 2017. While under surveillance, Ms. Bentley was observed traveling to the Perimeter Inn Motel located on Atlanta Highway in Athens-Clark County, and walking into a motel room with a dark colored bag then leaving a few minutes later without the bag and driving to her home in Oconee County. A K-9 unit was called in to walk the open-air hallways leading to the parking lot, and the K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics at the door of the room Ms. Bentley was seen walking in and out of with the dark bag. A search warrant was obtained. Ms. Bentley and another co-conspirator in this case, Jonathan Green, who was on probation, arrived back to the motel and walked into the room when law enforcement detained them. Officers found a large amount of cash, a drug ledger, a brown bag with Western Union and Walmart money transfer receipts, cell phones, four money cards and several car tiles on Ms. Bentley. Mr. Green was carrying a plastic Easter egg with methamphetamine inside. During the legal search of the motel room, a plastic bag filled with a large amount of methamphetamine was found, along with two digital scales and a glass jar with pills.

Ms. Bentley was arrested, and while out on bond yet again, law enforcement learned on May 24, 2018 that she was in possession of a large amount of methamphetamine. A confidential informant told law enforcement that Ms. Bentley had drugs inside of a black duffel bag and a Mountain Dew can with a false bottom, and that she could be found driving on Timothy Road in Athens-Clarke County. A patrol unit executed a traffic stop, and a K-9 unit immediately alerted to the odor of narcotics in Ms. Bentley’s vehicle. Inside, Ms. Bentley had several ounces of methamphetamine, three digital scales and drug packaging materials, as well as the Mountain Dew can with the false bottom containing several pills.

Ms. Bentley told investigators her methamphetamine source was Mr. Murillo. Ms. Bentley said she would talk to Mr. Murillo by phone, and he would connect her with dealers for methamphetamine. In exchange, Ms. Bentley paid Mr. Murillo $500 per connection or “plug”, sending the money to different places Mr. Murillo directed via MoneyGram, Western Union or Walmart money transfers. Ms. Bentley paid $8,000 per kilogram of methamphetamine purchased, profiting between $3,000 and $4,000.

“Our office is cracking down on inmates orchestrating criminal dealings from behind bars.  As importantly, we are also cracking down on those who support an inmate’s criminal conduct from outside prison walls,” said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.  “Stopping inmates’ criminal conduct is a collaborative effort involving law enforcement agencies at every level, and I want to recognize their efforts, and thank them for their service. This is dangerous, difficult work, but we must not allow inmates the ability to conduct crimes and continue to cause harm in our communities from behind bars.”

“This investigation exemplifies DEA’s commitment to investigate and attack drug traffickers and drug trafficking organizations no matter where they operate,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division, DEA.

This case was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Georgia State Patrol, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office and Parks White, the District Attorney for the Northern Judicial Circuit. Assistant United States Attorneys Tamara Jarrett and Leah McEwen are prosecuting these cases for the United States.

Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, and 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.