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ATHENS, Ga. – Three defendants involved in a lengthy and ongoing investigation into armed drug trafficking conducted out of jail facilities in Mexico and Georgia were sentenced for their crimes recently.
Cindy Stamey, 50, of Danielsville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release after a federal jury found her guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of methamphetamine on Sept. 21, 2022. Christopher Wilson, 42, of Hull, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 55 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after he previously pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on April 13, 2022. Laura Yazmine Garcia Guerro, aka “Yazmin Garcia,” aka “Yaz,” 30, a citizen of Mexico and a resident of Duluth, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine on July 13, 2021.
U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal handed down the sentences on Sept. 18. The defendants are not eligible for parole.
“These cases are the result of a lengthy and ongoing criminal investigation into armed methamphetamine trafficking in the Athens community with ties to prisoners and Mexican cartels, a dangerous mixture,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I want to applaud the tremendous efforts of law enforcement at the local, state and federal level to dismantle criminal networks plaguing our communities.”
The following co-defendants in related cases have been sentenced:
Bruce Hicks, a/k/a “Bruno,” a/k/a “Bruce Incc,” of Athens, was sentenced to serve 260 months in prison on Jan. 8, 2020, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Jan. 1, 2019;
Malcody Dinges aka “Cody” aka “Yes, Sir Cody,” 44, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison (to run consecutive to any state-imposed sentence) to be followed by three years of supervised release on May 12, 2022, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Dec. 16, 2021;
Adonias Sales Temaj aka “Alacran,” 29, a citizen of Guatemala and resident of Norcross, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 210 months in prison on March 7, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on July 14;
Frankie Baza, of Gwinnett County, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 200 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on June 3, 2021, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Ervin Sales Temaj aka “Milton Aguilar,” 35, a citizen of Guatemala and resident of Norcross, was sentenced to serve 121 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on July 14, 2022, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on April 13, 2022;
Carrie Kasper, 32, of Athens, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison on July 10, after she pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on July 15, 2021;
Jeris Dove aka “Jeris Southers,” 29, of Athens, was sentenced to serve 110 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release on Jan. 20, 2022, after he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Oct. 18, 2021;
Justin Maddox, 45, of Athens, was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison on Jan. 11, 2023, after he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 3, 2021; and
Katlyn Lackey, 22, of Commerce, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 20 months in prison on Jan. 12, 2023, after she pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine May 12, 2022.
The following co-defendants are awaiting sentencing:
Brendan R. Gates, 38, of Commerce, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Sept. 21, 2022, and faces a maximum of life imprisonment. Sentencing will occur at a date determined by the Court; and
David Zavala, of Gordon County, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Dec. 11, 2020, and faces a maximum of life imprisonment. Sentencing for Zavala will occur at a date determined by the Court.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers in the Middle District of Georgia began investigating drug trafficking organizations operating from jail facilities in Mexico and Georgia in 2016, including inmates using social media and contraband cell phones to conduct and direct drug sales and move the drug proceeds to other members of the conspiracy. In 2018, federal agents learned that co-defendant Dinges was conducting drug deals using contraband cell phones while in custody at Wheeler Correctional facility. During the investigation, agents learned that Dinges was communicating with the co-defendants and others located in the Athens region about controlled substances; these individuals would travel to locations in Atlanta as directed by Dinges to receive methamphetamine and return to Athens to distribute the drugs. Dinges received a fee for brokering the deals. The drug trafficking organization was responsible for distributing more than 100 kilograms of methamphetamine.
In March 2021, law enforcement conducted an undercover purchase of methamphetamine from “Carlos,” another incarcerated person in Mexico, who was suspected of providing large quantities of methamphetamine to the Athens-area including in Watkinsville, Georgia. "Carlos" directed Garcia Guerro to conduct the transaction at the El Indio Restaurant parking lot in Duluth. Garcia Guerro was arrested at the location point in possession of a gallon-size plastic bag of methamphetamine, nearly one kilogram. For more information about these cases, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/68-defendants-indicted-operation-wu-block-meth-heroin-investigation.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
These cases are being investigated by DEA Macon Resident Office, FBI Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Clarke County Sheriff's Office, Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, Hart County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Department of Corrections and Northeast Regional Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Jarrett is prosecuting the cases for the Government.
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U.S. Department
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