Four individuals involved in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy in Macon, Georgia, have been sentenced to federal prison. The sentences were handed down by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on July 10.
Denzelle Diangelo Willis, 34, received a sentence of 278 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. James Richard Fuller, 33, was sentenced to 181 months in prison and five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Julio Cesar Mendez, also known as "Migo," 29, was sentenced to 135 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine. Deion Jocoley Howard, 31, received a sentence of 53 months in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes stated that the office is working closely with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to make communities safer. "All those associated with these criminal organizations pushing large quantities of the most deadly and addictive drugs into the Middle District of Georgia will find their cases in federal court," he said.
Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division, emphasized the DEA's commitment to holding accountable those involved in drug distribution: "These defendants had total disregard for their actions that far too often have tragic consequences."
The investigation began in November 2022 when Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents started probing a drug trafficking organization operating in Macon following an FBI seizure of nearly eleven kilograms of methamphetamine linked to Julian Coker’s drug trafficking organization.
Court documents revealed that Willis and Mendez sold methamphetamine and heroin throughout Macon. Agents used confidential informants between February and March 2023 for several controlled buys from Mendez and Willis; substances tested contained fentanyl.
Further investigations using wiretaps and surveillance showed Mendez maintained a stash house on Melbourne Street supplying street-level dealers with drugs while Howard acted as a broker facilitating transactions between mid-level dealers and suppliers.
Operation Take Back America is part of this case—a nationwide initiative aiming at eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators through streamlined efforts from Department resources like OCDETFs and PSN.
The case was investigated by DEA alongside Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office & Peach County Sheriff’s Office under Criminal Chief Leah E McEwen's prosecution for Government involvement