2 South Ga. men sentenced in gang-related drug trafficking case

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Two South Georgia gang members were sentenced to prison following an investigation led by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).

Jason Patterson, 44, of Americus, and Quintavious Miller, 28, of Ellaville, Georgia, are both members of the Gangster Disciples street gang. They were sentenced as career offenders by a U.S. district judge on Tuesday, Dec. 12.

“Drug and gang-related crimes cause severe damage to Georgia communities. This case exemplifies the hard work of the GBI’s Southwestern Regional Drug Enforcement Office and our local and federal law enforcement partners,” GBI Director Chris Hosey said.

Patterson was sentenced to 96 months in prison and Miller was sentenced to 60 months in prison. Both terms will be followed by three years of supervised release, according to a release.

Both Patterson and Miller pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine on Aug. 2. Both are not eligible for parole.

“This case is a great example of what can be accomplished when local, state and federal agencies work together to address crime in our community,” Americus Police Department Chief Mark Scott said.

According to court documents, during an investigation into gang-related drug trafficking and other criminal activities in the Americus region, GBI, investigators, working alongside the DEA, purchased quantities of cocaine powder and crack cocaine from Patterson and Miller using a confidential informant and an undercover agent beginning in May 2021 through August 2021, the release said.

On Aug. 11, 2021, GBI executed search warrants for four locations belonging to defendants in Americus and Ellaville.

Agents found more than $30,000 cash on Patterson and under his bed at his residence in Americus. They also located a firearm that was reported stolen from Lee County, a digital scale and packaging materials commonly used to illegally distribute drugs and multiple cell phones that Patterson and Miller used to communicate.

At Miller’s apartment and trailer in Ellaville, agents found quantities of cocaine base, marijuana, cash and a Gangster Disciple flyer.

Patterson has multiple prior felony convictions in Sumter County and Miller has two prior felony convictions in Schley County, the release said.

“The successful result of this investigation should let career gang members know that DEA will use all of its resources to destroy their violent drug distribution networks,” Robert J. Murphy, the special agent in charge of the DEA Atlanta division, said.