Meth Kingpins Get Double-Digit Federal Sentences

ATHENS, GA – Two men are off the streets and facing serious time after being sentenced yesterday in federal court for their roles in a Northeast Georgia methamphetamine distribution network. The sentences, handed down by Senior United States District Court Judge C. Ashley Royal, represent a significant blow to drug trafficking in the region, according to federal authorities.

Travis Eugene Pearson, 40, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, received a 10-year (120-month) federal prison sentence for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by an illegal drug user. Pearson pled guilty on October 26, 2016, but the roots of the case stretch back to June 10, 2015, when a Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy pulled him over on Interstate 85 for multiple traffic violations. The stop yielded a hefty $13,000 in cash stuffed in his trousers, along with a loaded firearm hidden in the driver-side panel and a stash of drugs and paraphernalia. Pearson confessed to making multiple trips to Atlanta to source methamphetamine and admitted to a two-year daily habit.

Separately, William Corey Hughes, 26, of Bowman, Georgia, was sentenced to 13.5 years (162 months) in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Hughes entered his guilty plea on November 15, 2016, after a March 17, 2015, traffic stop in Royston, Georgia. When Hart County deputies refused his refusal to consent to a search, a drug dog alerted to his vehicle. A search revealed a metal box, magnetically attached to the truck’s frame, containing a gallon-sized bag of crystal methamphetamine, a large quantity of pills, and other drug-related items.

“These two cases are excellent examples of what can be accomplished when federal, state and local authorities work together,” stated G.F. “Pete” Peterman, III, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “In each case a major drug dealer has been taken out of the local community for a decade or more as the result of this cooperation.” The investigation into Pearson involved the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with prosecution led by Assistant United States Attorney Peter Leary. The Hughes case was a joint effort between the Hart County Sheriff’s Office, Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Danial Bennett.

Northern Judicial Circuit District Attorney Parks White emphasized the broader impact of these convictions. “We are grateful to the dedicated and professional prosecutors working in the United States Attorney’s Office for partnering with us to incapacitate those who peddle poison in our community. Drug dealers breed crime by profiting off of the misery of individuals who might otherwise have a chance to be productive citizens. The actions taken here by the United States Attorney’s Office sends a strong message to would be outlaws regarding the consequences of their action.”

The sentences serve as a stark warning to anyone involved in the methamphetamine trade in Northeast Georgia. Federal authorities are clearly signaling their commitment to dismantling these networks and holding traffickers accountable. Inquiries regarding this case should be directed to Pam Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at 478-752-3511.