Meth & Magnum: Carver Gets 19 Years

COLUMBUS, GA – Keith B. Carver, 28, of Columbus, Georgia, will spend the next nineteen years of his life behind bars after being sentenced to 228 months imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The sentence, handed down Thursday by U.S. District Court Judge Clay D. Land, reflects the severity of the charges and the added penalty for wielding a weapon while peddling poison.

The case originated with a November 22, 2012, automobile accident in Harris County, Georgia. When the vehicle was abandoned, a responding deputy discovered a trove of drug paraphernalia – scales, plastic bags, and a substantial amount of U.S. Currency – all belonging to Carver. The deputy’s search didn’t end there. Both Carver and his accomplice, Toni McGriff, 30, also of Columbus, were soon located attempting to disappear into a nearby wooded area.

A search of McGriff’s belongings revealed 67 grams of methamphetamine. But it was what Carver carried that sealed his fate: a loaded Ruger .357 Magnum revolver. That firearm, prosecutors successfully argued, drastically escalated the severity of his crimes. McGriff received a 46-month sentence for her role in the methamphetamine distribution scheme.

Both Carver and McGriff entered guilty pleas on August 13, 2013. Their admissions detailed the events leading to their capture, confirming the abandoned vehicle and the recovery of both the drugs and the weapon. The plea agreements were a tacit acknowledgement of the overwhelming evidence against them.

“The difference in the sentences imposed on these two defendants is significantly influenced by the firearm carried by Mr. Carver,” stated U.S. Attorney Michael J. Moore. “The message to drug dealers from this is clear: carrying a gun during a drug crime means doing significantly more prison time.” Moore’s office made a point of emphasizing the increased penalties faced by those who choose to arm themselves while engaged in illegal activity.

The investigation was a joint effort between the Harris County Georgia Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mel Hyde prosecuted the case. Anyone with information regarding drug trafficking or related crimes is encouraged to contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (478) 621-2603, or Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer.