Undercover investigation leads to 22 arrests in major drug case

Published 1:19 pm Wednesday, February 9, 2022

A major undercover drug investigation by local, state and federal law enforcement agencies has culminated with the arrests of 22 men and women in middle Georgia.

The case is linked to Mexican drug cartels, operating out of the Atlanta-metro area, including Stone Mountain.

The investigation led to the seizure of between 67 and 68 kilos of methamphetamine by U.S. Drug Enforcement Agents (DEA) in Atlanta, as well as a kilo of heroin, marijuana, weapons and an undisclosed amount of cash.

The majority of those arrested during a massive roundup Wednesday morning were from the Milledgeville-Baldwin County area, according to Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee. Others arrested were from Wilkinson, Washington, Twiggs and Laurens counties.

“We documented a bigger volume of narcotics in this case than any other investigation we’ve ever worked,” Massee said. “We’ve not only documented over 60 kilos of methamphetamine that were seized in Atlanta, but we purchased nine guns during this investigation, too.” 

The guns that were collected in the case included various handguns and two rifles.

The sheriff told The Union-Recorder that the arrests involved in this investigation were the result of undercover and surveillance operation.

“We worked very closely with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Macon, and other law enforcement agencies,” Massee said.

U.S. Middle District of Georgia Assistant District Attorney Alex Kalim observed the roundup operation, which began about 6:30 a.m. from the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.

“The thing that amazed me during the course of this investigation was the fact that there was never a time when we went to these individuals to buy methamphetamine that they didn’t have methamphetamine,” Massee said. “We were able to make ounce purchases.”

All 22 of those taken into custody by authorities at different residences, a business, and an area hotel, already have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, 2.5 kilos of heroin/fentanyl, two kilos of cocaine, nine firearms and approximately $50,000 in cash.

Several of those who were brought to the Baldwin County Law Enforcement Center in Milledgeville following their arrest were taken in vans to the U.S. federal courthouse in Macon where they were to be arraigned by a federal magistrate.

One of those indicted on federal drug charges was Jarvis Havior, 30, of the 2400 block of River Ridge Road, Milledgeville.

Authorities contend that Havior led a drug trafficking organization centered in Milledgeville.

Havior and Anrico Dontae Taylor, 32, of Milledgeville, were both arrested on drug trafficking charges following a traffic stop on April 5, 2021, on Ga. Route 22 in Baldwin County, according to Ocmulgee Drug Task Force Commander Wesley Nunn. 

The traffic stop led to the seizure of four kilograms of methamphetamine.

Those involved in the traffic stop included Sgt. First Class Kevin Pope, commander of the Georgia State Patrol post in Milledgeville, as well as Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sgts. Jerome Roberts and Brandon Towe.

“We had received information that they had gone to the Atlanta area to purchase a large amount of methamphetamine,” Massee said.

Between July 2020 and November 2020, multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine were conducted from Havior, authorities said. The undercover purchases of illegal drugs were made by authorities using confidential sources, as well as an undercover agent with the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force.

“This all started in Eatonton with a simple gram of methamphetamine being seized and this is a result of where that all led us,” Nunn said. “Like I said, this all started with the Eatonton Police Department and search warrant.”

He said authorities had viewed them in this case as being affiliated with Mexican drug cartels.

“Again, we have been amazed at the volume of narcotics that can be purchased in Atlanta, Ga. and surrounding metro area, and then distributed throughout the State of Georgia,” Massee said.

He said an investigation of such magnitude would not be possible without the partnership of federal and state law enforcement agencies.

Approximately a pound of methamphetamine was seized from Havior during the undercover purchases.

Such evidence was used against Havior, as well as his co-conspirators between February 2021 and April 2021.

In addition to Havior and Taylor, others arrested included: 

Ronald Brewer, 58, Danville

Macarthur Reeves, 66, Milledgeville

Alicia Nugen, 37, Milledgeville

Dawn Carey, 46, Milledgeville

Paul Collins, 59, Macon

Amber Vanclief, 31, Milledgeville

Ryan Rickard, 48, Milledgeville

Maegan Simmons, 24, Milledgeville

Perry Miller, 26, Milledgeville

In addition to the volume of drugs involved in this investigation, Massee said authorities received “a tremendous amount of information” related to gang membership and activities in Milledgeville and Baldwin County.

The law enforcement agencies involved in the undercover drug investigation included: Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, Milledgeville Police Department, U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Georgia Bureau of Investigation Region 6 Office Gang Task Force in Milledgeville, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Department of Community Supervision, U.S. Probation Office in Macon, and the Georgia Department of Corrections.