MACON, GA – Ontarrio Veal, 33, of Warner Robins, is facing three decades behind bars after being sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for leading a ruthless drug trafficking organization that flooded Middle Georgia with methamphetamine. The sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III, concludes a case that exposed a network responsible for distributing approximately 16 kilograms of the deadly drug.
Veal, also known as “Torrie,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on November 15, 2022. The 420-month sentence will be followed by four years of supervised release – a formality in a federal system without parole. Federal prosecutors detailed how Veal brazenly operated an armed criminal enterprise, turning Warner Robins and surrounding communities into a marketplace for his illicit trade. The case was built on the collaborative efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the DEA, ATF, and the Warner Robins Police Department.
The investigation, spanning from January to June 2020, revealed Veal as a multi-kilogram methamphetamine dealer. DEA agents and Warner Robins Police officers utilized court-authorized intercepts of Veal’s and co-defendant Tamara Hall’s cell phone communications. Surveillance confirmed Veal and his associates conducting drug transactions and making frequent trips to Atlanta to source large quantities of the drug. The operation wasn’t just about moving product; it involved a clear willingness to arm themselves.
The bust came in June 2020, when Veal was apprehended on a return trip from Atlanta with three kilograms of methamphetamine and a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol equipped with a terrifying 50-round drum magazine. Subsequent searches of locations across Middle Georgia yielded a haul of multiple firearms, ammunition, over $100,000 in cash, and further evidence linking Veal to the widespread distribution network. U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary stated the conviction “holds him to account” for his criminal activity.
Veal wasn’t working alone. Nine additional co-defendants have already pleaded guilty or been sentenced for their involvement in the scheme. Matthew Kay, 36, of Warner Robins, received a 235-month sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on September 6, 2022, to run consecutively with prior sentences. Details on the other co-defendants’ fates were not immediately released.
“This investigation deals a fatal blow to a once-thriving ‘meth’ ring,” declared Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka of the ATF’s Atlanta Field Division emphasized the importance of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force in dismantling such organizations, while Warner Robins Police Assistant Chief Wayne Fisher hailed the interagency cooperation that led to Veal’s conviction. The message is clear: federal and local law enforcement are united in their efforts to eradicate drug trafficking and the violence that accompanies it in Middle Georgia.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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