Leaders of Georgia-Based Meth Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Federal Prison
Three individuals involved in a large methamphetamine conversion and distribution operation have been sentenced to federal prison following an investigation that dismantled their multi-state trafficking network.
Rosa Elena Rangel Pantoja, 40, of Canon, Georgia, received a 15-year sentence, Dustin Burgess, 36, of Ellijay, Georgia, was sentenced to 13 years, and Berzain Leal Batrez, 44, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to seven years and 11 months. Each will also serve five years of supervised release. The sentences follow guilty pleas to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Details of the Operation
From October 2021 to August 2022, Rangel led the drug trafficking organization (DTO), which transported liquid methamphetamine concealed in semi-truck gas tanks from Mexico into Georgia. Once in Georgia, the liquid meth was extracted and processed into crystal methamphetamine at clandestine laboratories in Canon and Austell.
The investigation began in March 2022 when federal agents were alerted to Rangel’s repeated bulk purchases of acetone, a solvent essential for converting liquid methamphetamine into crystal form.
In August 2022, law enforcement located the first methamphetamine lab in Canon after observing a semi-truck delivering liquid methamphetamine to the site. A search of the property uncovered over 250 gallons of liquid methamphetamine, nearly 10 kilograms of crystal meth, and two firearms in Rangel’s bedroom. The lab operated on the lower level of a barndominium while Rangel and her four children lived upstairs.
In November 2022, agents discovered a second lab in Austell after tracking Batrez’s movements to and from the Mexico border. There, investigators seized 160 gallons of liquid methamphetamine and 75 kilograms of crystal meth.
Leadership and Connections
Rangel managed the operation, working with a Mexico-based “boss” who issued directives and threats to members of the DTO. Rangel acted as the intermediary, communicating the boss’s instructions to the group, arranging payments, and coordinating the supply of acetone and other materials critical to production.
Sentences and Upcoming Hearings
U.S. District Judge William M. Ray II imposed the following sentences:
- Rosa Rangel Pantoja: 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release.
- Dustin Burgess: 13 years in prison and five years of supervised release.
- Berzain Leal Batrez: Seven years and 11 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
Two additional defendants, Martha Karina Rangel-Pantoja and Uriel Plancarte Mendoza, are scheduled for sentencing on January 13, 2025, and March 21, 2025, respectively.
Seizures and Impact
In total, agents seized over 410 gallons of liquid methamphetamine and 85 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, disrupting what authorities estimate to be a $350 million criminal enterprise.
Multi-Agency Investigation
The case involved a collaboration of federal, state, and local agencies, including the DEA, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), with assistance from numerous sheriff’s offices and police departments in Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
“This case demonstrates the devastating impact of methamphetamine on our communities and the tireless efforts of law enforcement to combat it,” said DEA Atlanta Division Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Murphy. “These traffickers not only endangered the public but also put children in harm’s way by operating dangerous labs near residential areas.”
Prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cal Leipold and Bethany L. Rupert, who emphasized the commitment to holding all those involved accountable.
