Javarus McKinney, Fentanyl Trafficking, Georgia 2020

SAVANNAH, GA: A Bryan County man faces up to life in prison after another man’s fatal fentanyl overdose. Javarus McKinney, a/k/a ‘Jody,’ 32, of Richmond Hill, Ga., is charged with Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death, Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl Near a School.

The charges stem from an investigation initiated by Richmond Hill Police officers Aug. 12, 2020, after a male victim was found dead in a residential pool. An autopsy indicated the man died from a fatal dose of fentanyl, and the indictment charges McKinney and a co-defendant, Darien Cothern, 32, of Richmond Hill, with providing the illegal drugs.

McKinney also faces forfeiture of $12,970 seized during the investigation, along with a 2017 Chevrolet Impala. ‘Since the start of the pandemic, overdoses and deaths have been rising throughout the country, with an alarming increase in fentanyl-related overdose deaths in the Southern District,’ said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes.

Our office will continue its diligence in working with our law enforcement partners to find the source of illegal drugs implicated in fatalities. ‘The primary charge carries a possible statutory penalty of up to life in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system,’ said Estes.

In addition to the criminal charges, McKinney also faces forfeiture of a 2017 Chevrolet Impala. The case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team, and the Richmond Hill Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank M. Pennington and Noah J. Abrams.

Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The investigation into this case is ongoing.

Javarus McKinney’s exact sentence or outcome was not specified in the press release, but he faces up to life in prison if convicted.

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