The Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office announced today the successful conviction of Samantha Shea Leamon, a resident of 122 Ann Drive, Rossville, Catoosa County, Georgia, for Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute. This landmark conviction comes amid growing concerns over the devastating impact of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid linked to a surge in overdose deaths across the Lookout Mountain region and nationwide.

The case unfolded on April 11, 2024, when officers from the Department of Community Supervision (DCS), Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) West Metro Drug Enforcement Office executed a probation check at Leamon’s home. During the visit, law enforcement discovered 3.642 grams of fentanyl powder concealed in a bag located in her bathroom, along with her state-issued identification. A trial conducted from January 14-15, 2025, culminated in a jury finding Leamon guilty of the charges. Chief Judge Brian M. House subsequently sentenced her to serve ten years in the Georgia Department of Corrections, followed by an additional twenty years on probation.

The prosecution was led by Senior Assistant District Attorney Beth Evans, with valuable support from Chief Investigator Christy Smith and Administrative Assistants Rachel Moon and Jennifer Jackson. The investigation was spearheaded by Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office Detective Chris Lyons, in collaboration with GBI Special Agent Stephen Pendergrass and DCS Officer Alex Barbee. Leamon was already under probation for a prior case involving Possession of Clonazolam, under case number 2023-SU-CR-75, at the time of her arrest.

District Attorney Clayton M. Fuller expressed his gratitude towards the collaborative efforts of the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office, DCS, and the GBI, emphasizing the importance of their commitment to tackling the fentanyl crisis. “We have dedicated public servants at all of our sheriff’s offices, at probation, and with the GBI—we always appreciate their hard work on fentanyl cases. We have lost far too many lives to fentanyl. So let this conviction be a warning: if you intend to deal this deadly poison, we will find you, and we will bring you to justice.”

This conviction reinforces the ongoing battle against the opioid epidemic, highlighting the judicial system’s zero-tolerance stance on drug-related offenses that threaten the community’s safety and well-being.