#DrugTrafficking | AM 1180 Radio

September 24, 2026

Former Hays State Prison Officer Faces New Federal Drug And Gun Charges

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A former corrections officer who previously served time in federal prison for smuggling methamphetamine into Hays State Prison in Trion is facing new federal drug trafficking and firearms charges.

September 15, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Two Menlo Residents Face Meth Trafficking Charges In Cherokee County

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Two Menlo residents were arrested in Cherokee County, Alabama, late last month on methamphetamine trafficking charges.

According to Cherokee County arrest records, 30-year-old Tristan Bruno-Mendez of Menlo and 28-year-old Amber Schrader of Menlo were arrested by the Cedar Bluff Police Department.

Both were charged with trafficking methamphetamine and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

The available arrest information does not state where the arrests occurred, how much methamphetamine was allegedly involved, or provide additional details about the circumstances that led to the arrests.

Under Alabama law, methamphetamine trafficking begins at 28 grams or more, and the penalties increase substantially depending on the amount involved. For 28 grams to less than 500 grams, state law provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of three years in prison and a $50,000 fine. For 500 grams to less than one kilogram, the mandatory minimum increases to five years and a $100,000 fine. Larger quantities can bring still more severe mandatory sentences and fines.

September 11, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Chattooga County Man Faces Drug Trafficking Charges Following Arrest

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A 52-year-old Chattooga County man is facing several drug charges following an encounter with deputies at a residence on Williams Cemetery Road.

September 9, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Four Arrested After Meth Seized During Turkey Mountain Road Search

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Four people were arrested after officers with the Rome-Floyd Metro Task Force executed a search warrant at a residence on Turkey Mountain Road in the Armuchee area.

According to Floyd County Jail records, officers seized more than an ounce of methamphetamine, along with digital scales and packaging materials.

Roland Jovan Johnson, 45, and Marissa Shaye Cannon, 27, are both charged with trafficking methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

James Darrell Cagle Jr., 45, is charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

David Johnson, 58, is charged with possession of methamphetamine and theft by receiving stolen property. Jail records indicate that charge is connected to a stolen Can-Am Defender vehicle found during the investigation.

The case remains part of the Rome-Floyd Metro Task Force’s ongoing drug enforcement efforts in Floyd County.

September 5, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Georgia Man Sentenced To 10 Years In Federal Prison In Cocaine Smuggling Scheme

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An Georgia man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in a scheme that used sham companies to import cocaine from Mexico and launder drug proceeds back to Mexico.

August 7, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Three Arrested After Drug Searches in Rural DeKalb County Community

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Three people were arrested after investigators executed search warrants at two residences this week in Grove Oak, a rural community in neighboring DeKalb County, Alabama.

June 15, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

More Details Released In Drug Case Involving Hays State Prison Inmate

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Over the weekend, WZQZ News reported about a Georgia Department of Corrections inmate who was charged in connection with a drug case out of North Carolina. Additional information now shows that the inmate, Rudy Cameron Lee, is housed at Hays State Prison in Chattooga County, and investigators say the case involved a larger drug trafficking and contraband operation.

June 10, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Northwest Georgia Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison

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U.S. Attorney’s Office for The Northern District Of Georgia Collects Over $108 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2016

A Northwest Georgia man with a lengthy criminal history has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl while armed with a firearm.

Sincere M. Billingslea, a three-time convicted felon, received the sentence after being convicted on federal drug and firearm charges stemming from fentanyl distribution activities in northwest Georgia.

According to federal prosecutors, Billingslea sold fentanyl while in possession of a firearm despite being legally prohibited from possessing weapons because of his prior felony convictions. Authorities say the case highlights the ongoing threat posed by fentanyl trafficking, which continues to contribute to overdose deaths and public safety concerns across Georgia and the nation.

Federal officials emphasized that fentanyl is an extremely potent synthetic opioid, with even small amounts capable of causing fatal overdoses.

Following his prison sentence, Billingslea will also be subject to a period of supervised release.

The investigation was conducted by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, with prosecution handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

Federal authorities said the sentence reflects their continued commitment to targeting armed drug traffickers and removing dangerous narcotics from communities throughout northwest Georgia.

April 26, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Calhoun Man Jailed In Rome After Explosives, Guns And Drugs Found

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A Calhoun man was jailed in Rome late last week after police said searches at properties on Thomas Bluff Road and Fulton Road uncovered an explosive device, stolen property, drugs, and dozens of firearms.

March 14, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Prison-Based Methamphetamine Ring Members Sentenced

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U.S. Attorney’s Office for The Northern District Of Georgia Collects Over $108 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2016

Thirteen members of a prison-based methamphetamine distribution ring have been convicted and sentenced following a multi-year federal investigation. Authorities say state inmates Edward Kelvin Pope, David Wilson, and Kevin Josue Campos Rivera coordinated drug trafficking operations from Central State Prison in Macon, working with federal inmate Jose Santos Isaola Cisneros at the Federal Correctional Institution in Atlanta to distribute methamphetamine through couriers and distributors across north Georgia. Pope, known as “Paw Paw,” was already serving a life sentence plus 70 years for armed robbery, kidnapping, and other violent crimes at the time of the offenses.