Milledgeville-based Meth Distribution Leader Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison

MACON, Ga. – The leader of a methamphetamine trafficking organization centered in Milledgeville, Georgia, that was responsible for distributing five kilograms of methamphetamine into the community was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison resulting from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation.

Jarvis Havior aka “J Bo,” 31, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 360 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on July 13. Havior pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Feb. 16.

“The armed distribution of highly addictive and deadly illegal drugs—and the additional crimes spawned by large-scale trafficking—will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “It’s thanks to the strong collaboration of local, state and federal law enforcement through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force that this criminal network was disbanded, and its players brought to justice.”

“Those who distribute methamphetamine pose a grave danger to the community. These traffickers can no longer deliver dangerous drugs on the streets and must now face the consequences of their actions,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.

“The dangers associated with meth remain one of the most significant drug threats facing our community,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “With the help of our federal, state and local partners, this is a significant amount of poison that will not make it into our communities, driving crime and violence.”

“Illegal drugs are dangerous and threaten the safety of Georgia communities. The GBI is committed to getting these drugs off the streets by bringing to justice all those that take part in the illegal drug trade, from the supplier down to the dealer,” said GBI Director Mike Register.

According to court documents, agents with DEA, GBI and the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force (OCDETF) received credible information in June 2020 from multiple confidential sources that Havior was leading a multi-kilogram methamphetamine distribution ring operating in the Milledgeville community. A subsequent investigation determined the location of distribution “trap” and “stash” houses for bulk narcotics and cash that Havior and his criminal associates maintained.

On April 5, 2021, agents determined that Havior was going to replenish his methamphetamine supply at a location in Stone Mountain, Georgia, where he had previously traveled to for suspected drug re-supply runs. Agents observed Havior meet a man at a Publix parking lot in Stone Mountain and receive a fully laden green Publix bag. Havior traveled to a restaurant in Covington, Georgia, and gave the bag to co-defendant Anrico Taylor. Both defendants departed the restaurant in their respective vehicles and traffic stops were conducted on them in Baldwin County, Georgia. Taylor attempted to flee with the Publix bag, ripping apart several smaller bags of methamphetamine as he ran from officers, amounting to approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine spread on the ground. In total, four kilograms of methamphetamine was found inside the green Publix bag. In all, the drug trafficking ring is responsible for distributing at least five kilograms of methamphetamine.

The following co-defendants have been sentenced:

Nicolas Cuevas Flores was sentenced to serve 260 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Flores pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Feb. 28;

Anrico Taylor was sentenced to serve 160 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Taylor pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Feb. 28;

Dawn Carey was sentenced to serve 121 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Carey pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances Oct. 13, 2022;

Arturo Marshall was sentenced to serve 100 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Marshall pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Feb. 28;

Tyrone Hitchcock was sentenced to serve 85 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Hitchcock pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Oct. 12, 2022;

Paul Collins was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Collins pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Feb. 28, 2023;

Annie Collins was sentenced to serve 63 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.  Collins pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on March 7;

Alicia Nugent was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Nugent pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Feb. 28;

Perry Miller was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release. Miller pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Feb. 28;

Lamont Jackson was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release. Jackson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Feb. 28;

Ryan Rickard was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release. Rickard pleaded guilty to one count of the unlawful use of a communications facility on Feb. 16;

Amber Vanclief was sentenced to serve 15 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Vanclief pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Feb. 9; and

Macarthur Reeves was sentenced to serve three years of probation. Reeves pleaded guilty to the unlawful use of a communications facility on Feb. 16.

The following co-defendants entered guilty pleas and will be sentenced later:

• Matthew Cameron, 47, of Milledgeville, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and faces a maximum of ten years in prison; and

• Paris Binion, 30, of Milledgeville, pleaded guilty to one count of the unlawful use of a communications facility and faces a maximum of four years in prison.

The following co-defendants remain at large and are charged by federal indictment with the following crimes:

• Paul Bentley aka “Old School,” 56, of Milledgeville, is charged with one count conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison; and

• Noe Canela, 34, of Lilburn, Georgia, is charged with one count conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison.

An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.

People with information regarding the whereabouts of Bentley and Canela can contact the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office at (770) 216-3000 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case was investigated by DEA, FBI, GBI, Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, Baldwin County Sherriff’s Office, Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Department of Corrections, Milledgeville Community Supervision Office, Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office, Jones County Sheriff’s Office, Atlanta-Carolina’s HIDTA Office and Gwinnett Metro Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Kalim is prosecuting the case.