Defendants Connected to Southwest Georgia Armed Drug Trafficking Ring Sentenced to Prison
ALBANY, Ga. - Two individuals associated with an 18-defendant armed drug trafficking network centered in Tifton, Georgia, were sentenced to prison for their crimes recently resulting from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation.
Juanjava Boggerty aka Jay, 49, of Tifton, was sentenced to serve 235 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Oct. 12, 2022. Co-defendant Darrell Mack, 33, of Tifton, was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine on Oct. 13, 2022. U.S. District Judge Louis Sands handed down the sentences on Feb. 2.
Sheriff Gene Scarbrough said, "Our fight against drug traffickers and this armed trafficking ring is yet another step in stemming the flow of meth into Tifton and Tift County. With the help of our community and our law enforcement allies, we will continue to make this a safer place to work and live."
The following co-defendants have pleaded guilty and been sentenced:
Tevin Parker aka Tay, 28, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine on July 26, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 262 months in prison on Nov. 3, 2022;
Courtney Taylor, 39, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Oct. 4, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 235 months in prison to be served concurrently to a sentence imposed in Tift County, Georgia, Superior Court and any sentence which may be imposed in Ben Hill County, Georgia, Superior Court for probation violation on Jan. 25, 2023;
Brian Foster aka Joe aka FOS, 30, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Sept. 27, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 136 months in prison on Dec. 30, 2022;
Bradrick Boston aka Big Baby, 34, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine on July 20, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 108 months in prison on Nov. 3, 2022;
Clenton Davis, 33, of Ashburn, Georgia, pleaded guilty to managing drug premises on Aug. 2, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 96 months in prison on Nov. 20, 2022;
Keyuntran Taylor, 23, of Ashburn, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Oct. 5, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 70 months on Jan. 27, 2023;
Dmya Norris, 25, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Oct. 5, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison on Jan. 26, 2023;
Dante Hille, 29, of Ashburn, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine on Oct. 13, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 51 months in prison on Sept. 19, 2022;
Vontesha Dixon, 32, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Oct. 4, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison on Jan. 25, 2023;
Keilaysha Dixon, 23, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Sept. 22, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison on Dec. 30, 2022; and
Jala Taylor, 24, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine on Oct. 11, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison on Jan. 27, 2023.
The following co-defendants have pleaded guilty in this case and have been sentenced:
Rafon Carithers, aka Tweed, 34, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on May 19, 2022, and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment to be followed by at least five years of supervised release and a $10,000,000 fine;
Jehmeil Carmichael, 35, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment to be followed by at least five years of supervised release and a $10,000,000 fine;
McKevor Mulkey aka Chevy, 32, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on April 19, 2022, and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment to be followed by at least five years of supervised release and a $10,000,000 fine;
Rishaun Richardson, 26, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Aug. 23, 2022, and faces a maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment to be followed by at least six years of supervised release and a $2,000,000 fine; and
Damarius Williams, 25, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Oct. 18, 2022, and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment to be followed by at least three years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine.
According to court documents, GBI agents-working with a confidential informant (CI)-began investigating a Tifton methamphetamine supplier known as "Jay" in May 2019, who was later determined to be Boggerty. Under surveillance, the CI made six controlled buys of methamphetamine between May and Dec. 2019, including purchases at Foster's residence on Poplar Street and involving other named defendants in this case. A search warrant was executed at Foster's residence in June 2019, where agents recovered methamphetamine and other controlled substances and drug paraphernalia along with a .40 caliber pistol loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition and a sawed-off 20-gauge shotgun.
Agents made more controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Boggerty after the search, including a purchase with co-defendant Taylor. A search warrant was executed at Boggerty's residence at 152 Branch Road in Tifton in Dec. 2019; agents found 107 grams of methamphetamine along with digital scales, baggies and other items associated with drug trafficking. In all, Boggerty's drug trafficking operation is being held responsible for distributing between 1.5 and 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Tifton community.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by DEA, ATF, GBI, Mid-South Narcotics Task Force, Tifton Police Department, Tift County Sheriff's Office, Turner County Sheriff's Office, Crisp County Sheriff's Office, Georgia Department of Corrections, Georgia State Patrol and Georgia Department of Community Supervision.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melody Ellis and Criminal Chief Leah McEwen.
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