Gregory Smiley, Drug Trafficking, Georgia 2023

A major blow to the streets of Savannah, Georgia as 15 defendants have been named in a federal indictment for their alleged roles in a significant drug trafficking network.

The indictment, dubbed ‘Operation Be Real Every Second,’ charges the defendants with a drug trafficking conspiracy that carries a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

According to the indictment, the defendants conspired to distribute large amounts of cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana throughout Chatham County from January 2017 through March 2023.

The indictment names Gregory Smiley, 45, of Savannah, as the lead defendant, along with his wife Lena Smiley, 42, of Savannah, and 13 others, including James Burton, a/k/a ‘Muffin,’ 48, of Savannah, and Tywanna Lewis, 46, of Savannah.

The indictment also alleges that Gregory Smiley, conspiring with Lena Smiley and Tywanna Lewis, used gambling casinos in Nevada and Maryland to illegally launder and conceal profits derived from the conspiracy.

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and is being prosecuted by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darron J. Hubbard and OCDETF Coordinator Marcela C. Mateo.

Thirteen of the defendants are in custody and are scheduled for initial appearance hearings, while Armond Smith and Shadar Wright are being sought. The indictment also includes a notice of the government’s intent to seek the forfeiture of nearly $200,000 in cash, three bank accounts, four Savannah residences, and high-end jewelry valued at more than $138,000.

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