Career criminal sentenced to prison as final federal defendant in Operation 30906

AUGUSTA, GA:  The final federal defendant in a sweep targeting the worst criminals in Augusta’s highest-crime area has been sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison.

Marty Copeland, 45, of Augusta, was sentenced by Chief Judge J. Randal Hall to 151 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his prison term, Copeland will be required to serve three years of supervised release.

“Copeland’s substantial sentence punctuates our joint operation aimed at helping the law-abiding citizens of an Augusta neighborhood rid themselves of criminal behavior inflicted on them by a relative handful of offenders,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Operation 30906 represents very real cooperation among local, state and federal agencies working together to make our communities safer.”

Operation 30906 coordinated law enforcement agencies and prosecutors through the U.S. Department of Justice Project Safe Neighborhoods and the FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force. The operation targeted offenders in Augusta’s 30906 Zip code, an area identified by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office as plagued by a disproportionate number of crimes committed by a core group of “alpha” criminals. Cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana were seized during the operation, along with at least 29 firearms and approximately $1,000 in counterfeit money.  

Since the indictments for drugs and firearms felonies were unsealed in December 2018, charges against all 20 defendants have been resolved, with 17 receiving sentences of up to 16½ years in federal prison. Four of the seven defendants charged in state court are awaiting trial. Most of the defendants charged in Operation 30906 had prior felony convictions.

Copeland’s substantial criminal history began 28 years ago with a conviction for drug possession, and included multiple felony convictions for drug possession and trafficking. Despite receiving state court sentences of up to 15 years in prison, he rarely served more than three years on any of the charges – and repeatedly violated parole when released. When arrested during Operation 30906, Copeland was on parole from a 2007 sentence for trafficking cocaine.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“Because of the efforts of the FBI and our local, state and federal law enforcement partners, neighborhoods in Augusta’s 30906 zip code are substantially safer today,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Copeland’s lengthy federal sentencing and the sentencings of 19 other defendants as part of Operation 30906 should serve as a warning to anyone thinking about taking up where they left off.”     

“These convictions illustrate that drug trafficking at any level will not be tolerated in our state,” said Vic Reynolds, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). “The citizens of Augusta and the rest of the state of Georgia deserve to be safe in their neighborhoods. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is fully committed to working with our local and federal partners to bring to justice those that perpetuate fear and intimidation while conducting their crimes.” 

“It is a pleasure to continue joint prosecution efforts with the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Natalie S. Paine, District Attorney for the Augusta Judicial Circuit. “When federal and state agencies pool their resources the community benefits in more effective and efficient prosecution of violent offenders. Specifically, this operation was targeted to identify individuals that illegally carry firearms and to prevent the proliferation of gun violence in our community. We are pleased to be a part of joint efforts to make this community safer.”

“This operation has resulted in a significant blow to those who fuel gun violence,” said Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree. “Those charged in this operation as well as others will be relentlessly pursued by the Sheriff’s Office and its federal partners. This pursuit will not end until the senseless gun violence stops.”

Agencies participating in Operation 30906 included the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Secret Service, the GBI, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and the Augusta Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office. The cases were prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara Lyons, Hank Syms, and Alejandro V. Pascual IV and Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Marchman.