South Georgia Resident Sentenced for Distributing Meth in Lanier County

MACON, Ga. – A Clinch County, Georgia, resident found guilty of distributing nearly a kilogram of methamphetamine in Lanier County, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison today for his crime.

Dennis Thompson, 34, of Homerville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson today after he was convicted by a federal jury on July 18, 2023, of one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Thompson is not eligible for parole.

“A lengthy investigation led by the Lanier County Sheriff’s Office landed a high-volume drug dealer behind bars and stopped a large amount of methamphetamine from hitting the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office appreciates the steadfast commitment from local, state and federal authorities to uphold the law and make our communities safer for everyone.”

“Thompson endangered himself, law enforcement and other motorists during his irresponsible attempt to evade justice for methamphetamine distribution,” said Rich Bilson, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta office. “Hopefully this case sends a clear message that drug dealing in our communities will not be tolerated by the FBI and our partners.”

“We are appreciative of the cooperative efforts from all our partners to help bring this case to a close,” said Lanier County Sheriff Charles “Nick” Norton. “It is this kind of cooperation that makes our streets a safer place.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Thompson was under surveillance for distributing methamphetamine by Lanier County Sheriff’s Office investigators in Aug. 2020. A confidential informant told investigators that Thompson would be carrying a large amount of illegal drugs into Lanier County on Aug. 30, 2020, and he would be driving on Highway 221. Deputies attempted to pull Thompson over on Highway 221, but Thompson fled, leading deputies on a high-speed chase in excess of 100 miles per hour for several miles. The pursuit continued into Atkinson County, Georgia, where the vehicle finally came to a stop. A drug dog alerted to the odor of drugs inside Thompson’s car. Officers found 976 grams of methamphetamine inside a bag in the car. Thompson acquired the methamphetamine in Atlanta to distribute in the Lanier County community.

The case was investigated by FBI and the Lanier County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit prosecuted the case for the Government.