A Mexican National, With Prior Drug Convictions In Metro Atlanta, Pleads Guilty To Distributing Meth Behind Bars

ALBANY, GA – A Mexican citizen serving a sentence in a Georgia prison, pleaded guilty Thursday on a federal charge of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Jose Calderon, 40, of Mexico entered a guilty plea on January 10, 2019 before the Honorable Leslie Gardner in Albany federal court. Prior to his federal plea, Mr. Calderon was convicted in Gwinnett County Superior Court on January 22, 2004 for Trafficking in Methamphetamine. He was convicted again in Clayton County Superior Court on December 22, 2010 for Trafficking in Cocaine and Trafficking in Methamphetamine. Mr. Calderon will be sentenced by Judge Gardner on April 11, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. in Albany. Mr. Calderon’s possible federal sentence will increase to a minimum of 15 years in prison as a result of his state convictions, including deportation.

According to the plea agreement, Mr. Calderon was actively serving sentences for both state offenses at the Wheeler Correctional Facility. In 2016, while an inmate, Mr. Calderon used a contraband cell phone to broker the illegal distribution of kilos of methamphetamine to known major drug dealers across the state, including Borris Fuller, of Moultrie, GA, and Antron Miles of Tifton who were each previously sentenced to 360 months in federal prison in October 2018 Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Federal agents obtained authorization to wiretap cell phones, and use visual and electronic surveillance, in order to identify Mr. Calderon’s illegal activities from prison. Several of these operations resulted in the seizure of kilos of methamphetamine before they hit the streets for distribution. Mr. Calderon directed another inmate to distribute ½ to 1 kilogram of meth, three times a week, to Mr. Fuller. Under Mr. Calderon’s orders, meth was distributed in communities across the state, including Atlanta, Moultrie and Tifton, and parts of Florida. 

“Mr. Calderon was orchestrating major meth deals behind bars, and thanks to the combined efforts of DEA, GBI and the Georgia Department of Corrections, law enforcement put an end to his illegal dealings and the illegal dealings of his distributers,” said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “Our law enforcement agencies do not tolerate illegal activities happening within our jails and prisons, and we will continue to pursue and prosecute prisoners engaging in criminal behavior while serving prison sentences.”

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Georgia Bureau of Investigations, and Georgia Department of Corrections. Assistant United States Attorney Leah E. McEwen 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.