Multiple Arrests Made in White and Hall Counties Drug Investigation

A joint drug investigation led by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) alongside the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office, White County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia State Patrol has resulted in the arrest of several individuals in White and Hall Counties.

Those arrested include Dwayne Beck, 42, of Cleveland, GA; Ashley Ingram, 32, of Gainesville, GA; Christopher Lee Frazier, 36, of Cleveland, GA; Siarrah Ferrar, 31, of Gainesville, GA; Mashelia Martin, 54, of Cleveland, GA; Preston Lee Esco, 36, of Cleveland, GA; and Michael Anthony Jones, 36, of Cleveland, GA.

On March 22, 2024, Beck faced charges including Trafficking Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Fleeing and Attempting to Elude, and Driving Under the Influence. Ingram was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Substance.

Subsequent to this, on March 27, 2024, Frazier was arrested for Violation of Probation and charged with Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Ferrar was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, Martin with Simple Battery, Esco for Violation of Probation, and Jones for Failure to Appear.

During the investigation, search warrants were executed in Gainesville and Cleveland. Ingram was apprehended in Gainesville while Frazier, Ferrar, and Martin were arrested in Cleveland on March 27, 2024. Esco and Jones were later detained at a residence in Cleveland.

The operation, conducted between March 22, 2024, and March 27, 2024, aimed to combat street-level drug distribution in White and Hall Counties, ensuring the safety of the community.

GBI ARDEO needs assistance. If you have information related to drug activity, you are encouraged to call GBI ARDEO at (706) 348-7410.  Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS(8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.  

The Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office is a multi-agency unit that covers 30 counties in North Georgia and consists of the following Sheriff’s Offices and Police Agencies: White County, Lumpkin County, Banks County, Jackson County, Habersham County, Stephens County, Rabun County, Franklin County, Gilmer County, Fannin County, the Cleveland Police Department and the Toccoa Police Department, along with the Georgia National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, the Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Department of Community Supervision, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.