SAVANNAH, GA – The Southern District of Georgia is cracking down on illegal firearms and drug distribution, with a wave of indictments and sentencing announcements signaling a heightened federal presence. Federal prosecutors are moving aggressively against individuals accused of fueling violence and profiting from the trade of illicit substances, a grim reality playing out across the state.
U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg laid out the stakes: “Keeping guns out of the hands of those who are prohibited to possess them is vital in preventing violent crime in our community,” she stated. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect our citizens from illegal firearms.” This commitment is being demonstrated through “Project Safe Neighborhoods,” a collaborative effort involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, and various state and local agencies.
Among those recently indicted are Joshua Robert Ward, 44, and Jordan Beverly Howard, 37, both of Augusta. They face charges of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Methamphetamine and Heroin; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Also indicted were Darnell Harold Miller, 25, of Savannah, charged with two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number; and Anthony Orlando Jones, 34, of Augusta, facing a single charge of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
The net is also closing on previously indicted individuals. Howard Barkley, a/k/a “T-Bone,” 46, and Johnny Porter Sr., a/k/a “Unc,” 71, both of Waycross, Ga., are charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and other drug charges. Porter also faces charges of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. All indicted defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Several defendants have already felt the weight of federal sentencing. Joshua Green, 35, of Ridgeland, S.C., received a 77-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police discovered Green armed with a pistol in a city park. Isaac C. Brown, 40, of Guyton, Ga., received time served after a guilty plea to the same charge; a pistol was found in his truck during a screening at the Garden City Terminal by Georgia Ports Authority police. Unique Haynes, 26, of Jacksonville, Fla., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine and Fentanyl, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; her co-defendant, Eric Massey, 29, also of Jacksonville, awaits sentencing for Illegal Use of a Communication Facility.
Rounding out the recent adjudications, Jamario D. Owens, 24, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon – found with a handgun during a disturbance investigation. Thomas J. Fazio II, 41, of Grovetown, Ga., also awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection intercepted firearm silencers shipped to Fazio, a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant, leading to a search of his residence and the discovery of multiple firearms. These cases underscore the relentless effort to stem the flow of illegal weapons and drugs into Georgia communities.
Related Federal Cases
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- NFL Star Baker Sentenced For Heroin, Gun Charges · Georgia
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Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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