Attorney General Chris Carr announced that his Gang Prosecution Unit has secured the indictment of six individuals in Chatham County following a multistate investigation into the trafficking of illegal narcotics, including Carfentanil.
Why is Carfentanil such a problem? As a synthetic opioid, Carfentanil is 10,000 times more potent than Morphine and 100 times more potent than Fentanyl.
Altogether, law enforcement was able to recover 20 lbs. of the drug that, as asserted in the indictment, was intended for distribution in Chatham County and throughout the state.
What else is in the indictment, and who investigated this case? As further alleged in the indictment, several of the defendants are also members of Waters Ave Crew (WAC), a criminal street gang based out of East Savanah with ties to the Piru Bloods.
This case was investigated by the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT), the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) District Office in Savannah, Georgia, and DEA’s Division Office in Phoenix, Arizona, with assistance from the Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit.
What key figures had to say:
- AG Chris Carr: “Thanks to the partnership between our Gang Prosecution Unit, CNT, and DEA, we were able to seize massive amounts of Carfentanil, which is 100 times more potent than Fentanyl — saving countless lives in Chatham County and the surrounding area. Keeping Georgians safe is our top priority, and when it comes to fighting the opioid crisis, we’re not letting up.”
- CNT Director Michael Sharatt: “The result of this case demonstrates how important ‘partnerships’ can be when working with all levels of law enforcement across multiple jurisdictions. The impact of dismantling an organization that is capable of distributing 20 lbs. of Carfentanil at one time is enormous. The true impact of this case is the lives saved in Chatham County.”
Further Context: Together, the following five defendants are alleged to have formed a criminal enterprise at the center of this indictment:
- Edkes Hakeem Mitchell
- Rondell Javon Owens
- Matthew Rigsby
- Rahemm Jawaun Jenkins
- Tashiylah Nikeairia Riley
