Wiretaps Used To Bust Douglas County Meth Ring, 20 Convictions

DOUGLAS COUNTY, GA — District Attorney Ryan Leonard and the Douglas County DA's Office made 20 convictions after partnering with the Sheriff's Office to bust a Meth drug ring.

Following a two-year-long joint investigation and prosecution between the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, more than 20 criminal defendants have been convicted for their various roles in a racketeering case investigating into trafficking large quantities of Methamphetamine. Several defendants received more than a decade in prison for their roles in the case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Brett Adams and Assistant District Attorney Norman Barnett in front of Superior Court Judge Cynthia Adams.
Between January and April of 2017, officers with the Special Investigation Division at the Sheriff’s Office conducted undercover investigations into a group of individuals who were ultimately arrested while in possession of several pounds of Methamphetamine. Throughout the course of the investigations, which involved court-ordered wiretaps, the defendants were observed conducting several dozen sales of methamphetamine. The investigation revealed that the criminal enterprise was bringing large quantities of methamphetamine into Douglas County from Atlanta, and then distributing those drugs over the course of 4 months throughout all four corners of the county.

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Douglas County District Attorney Ryan Leonard praised the work of local law enforcement as well as prosecutors in his office, calling the conviction, “Another positive step taken towards eliminating traffickers of poisonous and deadly narcotics in our community.” Leonard went on to say that, “My office will remain committed to aggressively prosecuting criminals who are responsible for profiting off of the pain, suffering, and often times even death of good people in our community who are battling addiction.”

The following individuals received significant prison sentences for their roles in the case:
Wesley Boyd Paige – 35 years in prison
Maria Mora – 20 years in prison
Juvenal Castaneda – 14 years in prison
Ruby Fogg – 12 years in prison
John Cook – 10 years in prison
Donald Bailey – 10 years in prison
Jermaude St. Clair Earl – 9 years in prison

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