Leesburg Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking

A Leesburg, Georgia, man was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine from his residence.

Shaun Anthony Akins, 44, received a 144-month prison sentence, followed by four years of supervised release, on January 14, 2025. Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner handed down the sentence after Akins pleaded guilty to one count of methamphetamine distribution on April 24, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.

“The armed distribution of methamphetamine and other deadly and addictive drugs are the types of cases that are being quickly elevated to the federal level for prosecution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office will continue to use all of the tools at our disposal to support the efforts of local, state and federal law enforcement to make our communities safer and seek justice.”

“Shaun Akins valued the profit from his drug trade over the lives of his customers,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Wherever you operate, if you sell drugs, DEA will hold you accountable.”

According to court documents, law enforcement began investigating Akins following multiple citizen complaints dating back to 2022 about drug activity at his residence. A confidential source working with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) arranged methamphetamine purchases from Akins on three occasions in January and February 2023.

On May 8, 2023, Lee County deputies observed a suspected drug customer leaving Akins’ home and conducted a traffic stop, recovering approximately 33 grams of methamphetamine, baggies, and a digital scale. A subsequent search of Akins’ residence revealed 162 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine in his bedroom, additional quantities of the drug throughout the house, plastic baggies, digital scales, ammunition, two semiautomatic pistols, and a semiautomatic rifle. Akins’ cell phone contained incriminating photos of the recovered firearms and suspected methamphetamine.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), GBI, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid prosecuted the case.