Jury Convicts Long County Man of Drug Distribution

SAVANNAH, GA—After a one-day trial, a jury in the United States District Court returned a guilty verdict yesterday against Andre Jamaal Guyton, of Ludowici, Georgia on two counts of distributing controlled substances in Liberty County. The case was tried before District Court Judge William T. Moore, Jr. at the U.S. Courthouse in Savannah, Georgia. The evidence at trial showed that Guyton distributed 26 grams of 3, 4 - Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (commonly known as “MDMA” or “ecstasy”) on September 16, 2009 and 27 grams of cocaine on September 17, 2009 to an informant acting on behalf of investigating agencies.

The prosecution of Guyton resulted from a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Multi-Agency Crack Enforcement Drug Task Force (M.A.C.E.) for Liberty and Long Counties, under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force initiative which targets the most significant drug trafficking organizations in the Southern District of Georgia. Cases against several related defendants in the investigation had been resolved earlier in the United States District Court. Notable among these were James Gary Blagmon, of Walthourville, Georgia, who was sentenced to 87 months' imprisonment on April 21, 2010 for possessing crack cocaine with intent to distribute, and Paul Simmons of Hinesville, Georgia who was sentenced on April 8, 2010 to 60 months imprisonment for possessing marijuana with intent to distribute.

United States Attorney Edward J. Tarver stated, “This investigation demonstrates the effectiveness of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program in encouraging cooperation between federal, state and local agencies. I am particularly pleased that the FBI and DEA were able to assist the hardworking investigators of the M.A.C.E. Drug Task Force in making successful cases against Mr. Guyton and his related defendants. Cooperation is an essential component of efforts by law enforcement in disrupting drug organizations that seek to operate in communities throughout the Southern District of Georgia.” Tarver commended the agents and officers who made this prosecution successful.

The case against Guyton was case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karl Knoche. For additional information, please contact First Assistant United States Attorney James D. Durham at (912) 201-2547.