ATHENS, Ga. – A Raleigh, North Carolina man with a history of violence is facing serious time after a federal jury found him guilty today of trafficking heroin while armed in the Athens community. Nathaniel Hilliard III, 37, wasn’t just moving dope; he was peddling it with a .38 special, and the jury saw right through it.
Hilliard was convicted on 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. The three-day trial, presided over by U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal, laid out a clear picture of Hilliard’s operation. He’s looking at a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count of heroin distribution. The gun charge and failure to appear carry a maximum of 10 years each, plus another $250,000 fine. That’s a hefty bill for a career criminal.
Court documents reveal that back in May 2016, local and federal agents were already on Hilliard’s trail, investigating armed drug trafficking in Athens. The evidence? Cold, hard recordings. Hilliard sold a .38 special revolver and multiple doses of heroin to a confidential informant between May 23rd and 25th at the Rolling Ridge Apartments. What’s worse? One of those deals went down with a preschool-aged child present. This wasn’t a victimless crime; it was a blatant disregard for the safety of the community.
Hilliard’s rap sheet doesn’t start with this Athens bust. He’s already got prior convictions out of North Carolina for conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and assault by strangulation. Apparently, a little jail time didn’t teach him a lesson. And even after being released on pretrial conditions, he showed complete disrespect for the legal system. His U.S. Probation Officer warned him to appear for a pretrial conference on April 13, 2022, but Hilliard blew it off, skipped a meeting with his P.O., and then didn’t show up to court.
A bench warrant was issued, and Hilliard finally resurfaced on July 8, 2022, after being arrested in Charlotte, North Carolina – on domestic violence charges, no less. This wasn’t a simple case of missing court; it was a pattern of disregard for the law and a continued cycle of criminal behavior. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation, which focuses on dismantling major criminal organizations. You can find more information about OCDETF at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The investigation was a collaborative effort, spearheaded by 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, and they built a solid case that the jury clearly bought. Hilliard will be sentenced at a later date, and considering his history and the severity of the crimes, he’s likely looking at a long stretch behind bars.
Related Federal Cases
- Heroin-Dealing Felon Hilliard Convicted in Athens · North Carolina
- Reginald Patterson Sentenced For Drug Trafficking · North Carolina
- Moore Gets 25 Years: Heroin & Guns in NC · North Carolina
- Hildebran, 4 Others Indicted in Meth Trafficking Ring · North Carolina
- 62-Year-Old Georgia Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth Trafficking · North Carolina
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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