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 conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances 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.
“The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force has shut down another armed trafficking network in the Middle District of Georgia, this time in the Tifton community,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “There is more work to be done as law enforcement at every level continues to identify and stop weaponized criminal groups from causing further harm in our region.”
“We removed more methamphetamine traffickers from the streets,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “These offenders can no longer distribute this dangerous drug as they now face serious time behind bars for both their drug crimes and violent criminal conduct. This investigation was a success because of the great working relationship between DEA and its law enforcement partners.”
“There is no initiative more critical to ATF than increasing the safety of our communities. Cases which result in the arrests and prosecution of armed drug traffickers are fundamental to continuing this initiative while simultaneously showing criminals that ATF and its law enforcement partners will not falter in this mission,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “We will pursue violent drug traffickers such as these wherever they may operate and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The lengthy sentences handed down to these defendants send a clear message that drug dealing in our communities will not be tolerated. Georgians deserve to work, live and play in a safe environment. We will never stop protecting our neighborhoods from dangerous and illegal drugs,” said GBI Director Michael Register.
“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,” said Tift County Sheriff Gene Scarbrough.
“It’s great to have these defendants, the drugs and the firearms off the streets of Tifton. We are appreciative of the coordination between agencies involved in this investigation,” said Tifton Police Department Chief Steve Hyman. “Their work in this case makes a difference in the lives of our citizens who fall victim to drugs in our community.”
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 to be followed by five years of supervised release 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 followed by five years of supervised release 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.;
-
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 to be followed by five years of supervised release 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 to be followed by four years of supervised release to be served concurrently to a sentence imposed in Tift County, Georgia, Superior Court for probation violation 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 to be followed by three years of supervised release 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 in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release on Jan. 26.;
-
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 to be followed by four years of supervised release on Jan. 26.;
-
Dante Hille, 29, of Ashburn, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine on June 14, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 51 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Sept. 15, 2022;
-
Vontesha Dixon, 32, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Oct. 4, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Jan. 19.;
-
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 to be followed by one year of supervised release 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 to be followed by three years of supervised release on Jan. 27.
The following co-defendants have pleaded guilty in this case and are awaiting sentencing:
-
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 40 years of imprisonment to be followed by at least four years of supervised release and a $5,000,000 fine;
-
Jehmeil Carmichael, 35, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment to be followed by at least three years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 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 20 years of imprisonment to be followed by at least three years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 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 of 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.
As gripping as it is prescient, Gangbuster: One Man's Battle Against Crime, Corruption, and the Klan, is the first-ever history of the battle waged by one rookie District Attorney, Philip Van Cise, against the KKK, organized crime, and government corruption at the highest levels throughout the 1920s. One century later, in the face of contemporary society’s divisiveness and fearmongering politics, the personal courage of this maverick’s battle against underworld figures and a mainstream white supremacist movement is more relevant and inspiring than ever.
