Last Defendant In Federal, State, Local Joint Drug Organization Investigation Sentenced to 12 Years; U.S. Attorney Announces Sharing of Forfeited Drug Proceeds; Thanks Officials, Officers and Agencies For Their Work

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania today announced the successful conclusion of the investigation and prosecution of a major Harrisburg-area drug trafficking organization and recognized the efforts of law enforcement agencies in the case.

United States Attorney Peter Smith particularly thanked Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico and Harrisburg Police Chief Thomas Carter, for their key role as long-time partners in drug law enforcement in the Harrisburg area.

In 2011, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations in Harrisburg began investigating a large-scale drug trafficking organization whose members were bringing substantial quantities of cocaine hydrochloride into this area and distributing it to local drug dealers.  Some of it was cooked into crack cocaine.  Both the powder cocaine and crack cocaine were sold on the streets of Harrisburg.

The agents dubbed the investigation “Operation Ghost Hunter” because the main targets, including John Rawls and Antwaun Byrd, had eluded law enforcement for a long time.  The investigation involved court-authorized wiretaps as well as federal funding.  It resulted in the conviction of 22 drug dealers for drug offenses and money laundering.  In addition, law enforcement officers seized cash drug proceeds, firearms, and luxury cars.

During the course of the investigation, agents learned that, generally, Harrisburg-area dealers, including Antwaun Byrd, sent couriers by Amtrak to the Atlanta, Georgia, area.  The couriers carried cash which they turned over to Rawls who, in turn, provided them with large quantities of cocaine hydrochloride.  The couriers traveled back to Harrisburg, usually by bus, and turned the drugs over to Byrd and other members of the organization.  Drug proceeds were laundered, in part, through the purchase and sale of luxury automobiles.

The last of the defendants, and one of two defendants convicted at jury trials, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge William Caldwell this morning.  The Court sentenced Shaine L. Williams, age 44, of Harrisburg, to 144 months’ imprisonment.  Previously, Judge Caldwell sentenced Adrian Totton, the other defendant who went to trial, to 240 months’ imprisonment.  The prosecutor was Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Fawcett, currently head of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force in the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Other defendants received substantial sentences as well (see the attached list).  Nearly all these defendants were drug dealers or career criminals or both.  The drug seizures included three kilos of cocaine hydrochloride seized from Rawls’ house in Atlanta, another three kilos seized from a courier at the Harrisburg bus station, and a half kilo of methamphetamine seized in Atlanta, as well as additional drugs.

Eight firearms, including a pistol-grip shotgun, were seized.  One of the more unusual firearms that was seized was a handgun the drug dealers called “Pinky.”

Five luxury vehicles paid for with drug profits and used to transport drugs were confiscated.  These included two BMWs, two Mercedes Benz, and a Cadillac Escalade.

Agents and officers seized almost $620,000 in cash, including $435,000 found at a safe in a house owned by Rawls in Atlanta.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that $432,103 of that money was turned over to its partners in local law enforcement to fund their efforts in drug law enforcement, including $340,386.59 that went to the Dauphin County Drug Task Force.

This case, and other similar ongoing cooperative and joint efforts, demonstrate the remarkable and often unsung work of state and local law enforcement in the effort to combat criminal activities involving illegal drugs as part of their overall responsibility to protect the public.

Other law enforcement agencies and law enforcement personnel contributed significantly to this case.  They include the DEA Atlanta Field Division Strike Force Group 1,  IRS Criminal Investigations in Atlanta, the United States Marshals Service, Dauphin County Probation, Lebanon County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, the Clayton County Georgia, Sheriff’s Office, The Columbia County, Pennsylvania Sheriff’s Office, and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

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