Major Columbus Area Methamphetamine Trafficker Pleads Guilty

COLUMBUS, Ga. – A known methamphetamine trafficker considered a major drug distributor in the Columbus community has pleaded guilty to his crimes in federal court.

Brandon Juwan Jones, 37, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine before U.S. District Clay Land on Feb. 10. Jones faces a maximum 20 years in prison to be followed by at least three years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for May 10.

“The arrest and conviction of Brandon Jones takes a major supplier of some of the most addictive and deadly illicit drugs to the Columbus community off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I want to thank the dedicated men and women at the DEA, the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for their ceaseless commitment to making Middle Georgia a safer place.”

“This criminal network posed a clear and present danger to the Columbus area,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The removal of their ‘ringleader’ makes these communities much safer. This guilty plea illustrate how success can be achieved through spirited law enforcement efforts.”

“The takedown of this organized criminal drug enterprise and the federal prosecution of the leader of this organization is a prime example of our current strategy to identify, target and remove impact offenders responsible for the violence and the demise of the quality of life within Muscogee County,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “By taking a one neighborhood at a time approach, the Muscogee County Sheriff's Office will continue to work with our local, state and federal partners in the relentless pursuit of every gang member that engages in gang-related violence and organized crime. On behalf of the citizens of Muscogee County, I want to thank the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the deputies from the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and Harris County Sheriff’s Office for their work on such a successful operation.”

“With this guilty plea and sentencing of Brandon Jones by the U.S. Middle District Federal Court, a major drug player is taken off the streets of our Chattahoochee area,” said Harris County Sheriff Mike Jolley. “This shows how local and federal law enforcement agencies can work together to accomplish the mission of drug enforcement. As Sheriff of Harris County, I know this is just a small step on the ‘old war against drugs’; however, every step counts and we cannot give up the fight.”

According to court documents, Jones was identified by multiple Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sources in 2019 as a major methamphetamine distributor in the Columbus community. In the ensuing months, agents conducted surveillance and other investigative actions, including an undercover controlled buy operation with Jones. Law enforcement executed multiple search warrants on various properties associated with Jones’ drug trafficking network in Jan. 2020. Agents discovered more than four kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as heroin, cash and multiple firearms and ammunition. Jones was taken into custody and admitted to agents that the drugs belonged to him and that he felt that his arrest was imminent after being advised he had been under investigation for several months. Jones has multiple prior felony convictions, including felony convictions for trafficking methamphetamine, sale of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm during a crime, theft by receiving stolen property and bribery of a government officer.

This case was investigated by DEA, the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams is prosecuting the case.