Seventeen Charged in Alleged Fentanyl, Cocaine Distribution Ring in Athens

ATHENS, Ga. – U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes today announced the unsealing of two federal indictments and one criminal complaint charging a total of 17 people allegedly involved in an armed drug trafficking network accused of distributing fentanyl, cocaine and other controlled substances in the Athens community, with more than two dozen firearms seized and a grenade launcher in connection with the case.

Thirteen federal, state and local law enforcement agencies assisted in executing 12 search warrants in Athens and Atlanta on Aug. 26, resulting in 13 arrests. As part of the ongoing investigation, law enforcement seized 26 firearms, including 12 rifles and a grenade launcher (the grenade launcher was seized at a location in Jefferson, Georgia); 26 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of $780,000; 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl with an estimated street value of $60,000; approximately 500 grams of methamphetamine; 5.14 ounces of crack cocaine; 2.4 pounds of marijuana; 128 controlled pharmaceuticals; and $63,532 in cash. The initial appearances for the defendants are occurring in the U.S. Magistrate Court in Macon, Georgia.

The federal indictment in Case No. 3:25-CR-00010, filed on May 14 and unsealed on Aug. 26, charges the following individuals:

Alicio Yanez-Pineda, aka “Cochito,” 48, of Mexico, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;

Josue Serda, 26, of Jefferson, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of distribution of methamphetamine where a person under 18 was present and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;

Ulises Borja, aka “Liche,” 33, of Cedartown, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;

Travis Arnold, aka “Trav,” 33, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, nine counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine where a person under 18 was present, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;

Ariel Collins, 32, of Athens, is charged with one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted;

Patrick Wilkins, 32, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and three counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;

Edgar Jara, 27, of Jefferson, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;

Tyler Parr, 27, of Jefferson, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;

Gregory Robinson, 32, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and one count of maintaining drug involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; and

Deshun Muckle, 51, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of fentanyl and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted.

According to the Yanez-Pineda et al indictment, from January 2024 until May 2025, Yanez-Pineda, Serda, Borja, Arnold, Wilkins, Jara, Parr, Robinson and Muckle allegedly conspired to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in the Athens region. The indictment alleges that Arnold and Collins illegally maintained a location on Sartain Drive in Athens to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine; co-conspirator Robinson is accused of distributing fentanyl, cocaine and oxycodone from a location on Essex Court in Athens. According to the indictment, Borja served a prison sentence for a prior serious felony drug conviction and Wilkins is a convicted felon who is charged with allegedly possessing five firearms illegally.

The federal indictment in Case No. 3:25-CR-00020, filed on Aug. 12 and unsealed on Aug. 26, charges the following individuals:

Orlando Muckle, aka “Lando,” 51, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of maintaining drug involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;

Joey Campbell, aka “Jay,” 41, of Winterville, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of fentanyl and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;

Bernard Walker, aka “Nard,” 53, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and five counts of distribution of fentanyl and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;

Lanier Cooper, aka “Nier,” 22, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of maintaining drug involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;

Myles Kolbe Cooper, aka “Wop,” 27, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, two counts of distribution of fentanyl and one count of maintaining drug involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; and

Tommy Lee Smith, 65, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted.

According to the Muckle et al indictment, the defendants allegedly conspired to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and more than five kilograms of cocaine and cocaine base in the Athens region beginning in October 2020. The indictment alleges that both Cooper co-conspirators distributed controlled substances from a premises on Commerce Parkway in Athens and that co-conspirator Muckle allegedly stored cocaine from an apartment on Jennings Mill Parkway in Athens. According to the indictment, Muckle, Campbell and Walker served prison sentences for prior serious felony drug convictions.

A newly unsealed federal criminal complaint in Case No. 3:24-MJ-00020 charges Halie Marie Money, 26, of Jefferson, with one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user. If convicted, Money faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

According to the Money criminal complaint, Money and Serda were allegedly found unconscious in the front seat of a parked car outside the Walmart on Epps Bridge Parkway in Athens in the mid-afternoon of June 20, 2025. Oconee County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the scene and called for an ambulance. Money was allegedly slumped over in the passenger seat with a piece of tinfoil in her lap with burn marks on it, commonly used to inhale narcotics like fentanyl; Serda was passed out in the driver’s seat with “snot and saliva” running out of his nose and mouth. After the ambulance arrived, Money and Serda woke up when their car door was opened. Deputies allegedly saw drug paraphernalia in plain view, including what appeared to be fentanyl. Deputies located a Glock pistol that Money allegedly claimed while admitting to her drug addiction. A court-authorized search of Money’s phone found alleged text conversations between Money and Serda discussing the consumption of controlled substances and Money and Parr discussing the distribution of illegal controlled substances, along with a photo of a significant amount of cash and another picture of a bag containing a large amount of drugs. In addition, law enforcement found a photo of Money cradling her baby and a Glock pistol.

The collaborative effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.

The FBI-Athens Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigated this case in partnership with FBI-Atlanta, FBI-Birmingham, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, the Gwinnett County Police Department, the Sandy Springs Police Department, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case for the Government.

An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.