ATLANTA, GA – Royce Cobb, a 47-year-old Atlanta man known on the streets as “Rapp,” will spend the next 23 years in federal prison after being convicted of running a large-scale drug operation out of a southwest Atlanta stash house. The multi-time convicted felon was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge J.P. Boulee following a guilty plea to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Cobb’s criminal history is extensive. Prior convictions in Georgia and North Carolina include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, trafficking and attempted trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in marijuana, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Disturbingly, the aggravated assault conviction stemmed from a 2001 shooting where Cobb killed one of his own drug customers. More than a decade behind bars clearly wasn’t enough to deter him from returning to a life of crime.
Federal investigators began surveilling Cobb’s operation in 2022, quickly uncovering a sophisticated network distributing at least 50 kilograms of cocaine, 4 kilograms of methamphetamine, and various quantities of fentanyl and heroin. The DEA, working with state and local partners, seized staggering amounts of drugs and cash. A particularly brazen discovery involved 17.6 kilograms of cocaine hidden under the bed of a tow truck and another 22 kilograms found in an associate’s vehicle in South Carolina.
The DEA didn’t just find drugs. In July 2023, a raid on Cobb’s primary stash house yielded counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine, three bricks of marijuana, and a loaded semiautomatic firearm with a large-capacity magazine. They also found ammunition for two other firearms, money counters, and a pill counter – the tools of a seasoned, ruthless operator. A second stash location turned up seven more kilograms of cocaine. Combined, the raids recovered over a quarter-million dollars in cash.
“More than a decade behind bars failed to deter Cobb from trafficking large amounts of drugs from an Atlanta stash house while armed,” stated U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Thankfully, the determined investigation of the DEA and their state and local partners finally halted Cobb’s illicit activity.” The DEA’s Acting Special Agent in Charge, Jae W. Chung, added, “Far too many victims have suffered at the hands of repeat offenders who show no remorse for the chaos they create.”
The successful takedown was a collaborative effort involving the Drug Enforcement Administration, Atlanta-Carolinas HIDTA, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Suwanee Police Department, and Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka put it bluntly: “When we team our resources with the resources of our local, state, and federal partners, gang members better beware.” Following his 23-year sentence, Cobb will also face 10 years of supervised release.
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Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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