ATHENS, Ga. – Nathaniel Hilliard III, a 37-year-old man from Raleigh, North Carolina, with a documented history of violence, has been convicted of trafficking heroin while armed in the Athens community. A federal jury delivered the guilty verdict today following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal.
Hilliard now faces a potentially lengthy prison sentence. He was found guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, three counts of distribution of heroin, and one count of failure to appear in court. Each count of distributing heroin carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The firearm charge and failure to appear each carry a maximum of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case stems from a May 2016 investigation into armed drug trafficking within Athens. Court documents reveal that Hilliard sold a .38 special revolver and multiple quantities of heroin to a confidential informant working with the FBI between May 23 and May 25, 2016, at the Rolling Ridge Apartments. Disturbingly, one of these transactions occurred in the presence of a young child, highlighting the reckless disregard for public safety displayed by the defendant.
Hilliard’s criminal past extends beyond this case. He previously faced convictions in North Carolina for conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and assault by strangulation. This conviction underscores a pattern of violent behavior that contributed to his current predicament. The situation was further complicated by Hilliard’s actions while on pretrial release. Despite being supervised by a U.S. Probation Officer in North Carolina, he skipped a scheduled pretrial conference in Athens on April 13, 2022, after refusing to meet with his P.O. the day prior.
A bench warrant was issued, and Hilliard was eventually apprehended on July 8, 2022, in Charlotte, North Carolina, following an arrest on domestic violence charges. This arrest added another layer of legal trouble to an already complex case. This entire operation was conducted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency initiative designed to dismantle high-level criminal organizations. More information on OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The investigation was a collaborative effort, involving the FBI Athens Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force, and the Athens Clarke County Police Department Gang Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Morrison and Tamara Jarrett are prosecuting the case, seeking to ensure Hilliard is held accountable for his crimes and removed from the streets.
Related Federal Cases
- Heroin & Heat: Hilliard Convicted in Athens Trafficking · North Carolina
- Moore Gets 25 Years: Heroin & Guns in NC · North Carolina
- Ervin Sentenced for Felon Firearm Possession · North Carolina
- NY AGs Crack Down on 37 Robocall Gatekeepers · Indiana
- ‘229 Boys Kennels’ Dogfight Ring Busted, Seven Face Federal Charges · Alabama
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News