Date: 05-21-2018

Case Style:

Case Number: 1:17-cr-00024-WLS-TQL

Judge: W. Louis Sands

Court: United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia (Dougherty County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Leah E. McEwen

Defendant's Attorney: Keith Pflepsen

Description: Albany, GA - Cairo Convicted Felon Cary Brandon Smith Sentenced For Narcotics And Gun Charges Under Project Safe Neighborhoods

Senior United States District Court Judge W. Louis Sands sitting in Albany, Georgia, sentenced Cary Brandon Smith, age 33, of Cairo, GA, to 360 months imprisonment as the result of his plea of guilty earlier this year to 31 of 32 counts in an indictment charging him multiple counts of Conspiracy to Manufacture and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Other Controlled Substances, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Possession of a Stolen Firearm, Use of a Communications Facility in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

Court records reveal that on March 19, 2015, deputies with the Grady County Sheriff’s Office travelled to Cairo, Georgia, in search of a wanted person. Upon arrival, the officers observed Cary Brandon Smith running away from the residence and into a wooded area nearby. After obtaining a search warrant, agents found a methamphetamine lab with methamphetamine, ingredients for manufacture of the drug and evidence of prior manufacturing of the substance.

Arrest warrants were sworn out for Mr. Smith and he remained at large until September 2, 2015, when Grady County deputies travelled to a location on Old Egg Road in Cairo and arrested him following a foot chase. A search of the premises pursuant to a warrant revealed another methamphetamine lab, along with the drug itself and two firearms: a Ruger .357 Magnum revolver and an SKS high capacity semi-automatic rifle, which had been stolen in an earlier burglary.

Mr. Smith admitted to police at the time of this arrest that he manufactured and sold methamphetamine. He also admitted that he knew that the SKS rifle was stolen. Due to prior convictions in Georgia for Criminal Attempt to Manufacture Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana with the Intent to Distribute, and Burglary, it was a violation of federal law for Mr. Smith to possess any firearm, a fact he admitted he knew.

While awaiting trial for his crimes on the charges stemming from the March, 2015 and September, 2015 incidents described earlier, Mr. Smith continued dealing in methamphetamine and other illegal drugs, as well as possessing guns. On June 21, 2017, agents executed a search warrant at a Humble Road address in Cairo, where they discovered two handguns, methamphetamine, other illegal drugs and documents identifying Mr. Smith.

On June 23, 2017, officers arrested Mr. Smith during a traffic stop and discovered marijuana and components for manufacturing methamphetamine. Mr. Smith admitted that the marijuana was his. He also described obtaining large quantities of methamphetamine in Moultrie and having travelled to Atlanta to meet with the sources of supply.

“Cary Smith has been a one-man crime wave in South Georgia for several years, manufacturing and selling methamphetamine and other drugs despite numerous arrests and convictions for doing so. In addition, he committed these crimes while armed, knowing that he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of these previous convictions. Mr. Smith earned and deserves the harsh sentence he received, as he has proven beyond any doubt that incarceration is the only way to stop him from ravaging our community through the illegal manufacture and sale of methamphetamine and other highly addictive and destructive drugs,” said United States Attorney Peeler.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Georgia Bureau of Investigation; the Grady County Sheriff’s Office and the Cairo Police Department.

Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.

Outcome: Defendant was sentenced to 360 months' in prison.

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments: