The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia revealed that three people from Georgia and Alabama received significant federal prison sentences after pleading guilty to narcotics trafficking and firearms crimes. James Lewallen Meeks, who is currently incarcerated, has been sentenced to an additional two decades in federal prison after serving his present state sentence, according to a statement from the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Georgia.
Despite doing time for a heinous crime, Meeks was able to maintain his criminal enterprise from behind bars, clearly arranging high-stakes trades involving methamphetamine, fentanyl, and illegal firearms—all through the illegal use of a smuggled smartphone.
Meeks’ collaborators, Jamey Michael Latty and Mark Anthony Powell were both apprehended with large amounts of methamphetamine, with Latty also conducting a dramatic automobile chase that resulted in his arrest. “Meeks will now serve two decades in federal prison after completing his state sentence, and his co-defendants are headed to federal prison as well,” Buchanan said. These arrests are intended to dramatically impede the supply of narcotics and weapons throughout Northwest Georgia.
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Man Arrested for JUVENILE TRAFFICKING and SEXUAL ABUSE in Springfield Township
Latty, from Centre, Alabama, and Powell, from Jackson, Georgia, were sentenced to 15 years and one month and 10 years and seven months, respectively. Each will also serve years of supervised release, as ordered by U.S. District Judge William M. Ray, II. Their illicit actions had garnered the notice of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration, paving the way for their arrest and eventual prosecution.
A series of coordinated operations involving several law enforcement agencies resulted in not only the arrest of Meeks and his affiliates but also the seizure of some weapons, including a UZI.22 caliber long rifle with a silencer and an AR-style rifle built as a machine gun. Buchanan emphasized the collective resolve, adding, “This case exemplifies our commitment to preventing drug trafficking and criminal activity from poisoning our communities.”
The inter-agency activities were part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) strategy, which aims to dismantle significant criminal groups that threaten the United States.
The illegal operation sold deadly narcotics and weapons, including a variety of rifles and handguns, some of which were modified to increase their lethality—the Deputy Marshals eventually apprehended Latty in Collinsville, Alabama after he fled and acquired a false identity. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebeca M. Ojeda successfully prosecuted the case, resulting in a significant victory for federal and state agencies working together to protect communities from the damage caused by such criminal syndicates.
The United States Attorney’s Office has recommended a variety of drug-education resources, urging parents and children to visit sites such as justthinktwice.gov, operationprevention.com, and dea.gov/onepill. People who want to learn more about these actions or comparable instances are advised to contact the Public Affairs Office or visit the U.S. Attorney’s Office website.