Federal Indictment Unseals Massive Drug Trafficking Operation Across South Georgia

A newly unsealed federal indictment reveals the details of a large-scale drug trafficking operation spanning multiple south Georgia counties. The operation, detailed in the case USA v. Brinson, et al., targets 37 individuals involved in the distribution of cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, and marijuana in the Coffee, Atkinson, and Bacon County areas.

The indictment charges the defendants with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribute Controlled Substances. The charges carry a potential sentence of up to life in prison for many of the accused, alongside substantial financial penalties and a period of supervised release.

The operation, which allegedly saw extensive involvement from Georgia state prisons, used contraband cell phones to coordinate the illegal distribution of drugs. Additionally, law enforcement seized 21 firearms and more than $17,000 during the investigation.

Defendants named in the indictment include inmates, former corrections officers, and individuals from various local communities. Some of the notable names include Litarus Brinson, a 26-year-old inmate at the Jenkins Correctional Center, and former Georgia state corrections officer Dacia Gaskins.

FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Ozden highlighted the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies in bringing down the operation, which involved the FBI, local sheriff’s offices, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and multiple local police departments.

Coffee County Sheriff Fred T. Cole emphasized the importance of community safety, stating that the operation reflected the ongoing mission to eliminate illegal drugs from local neighborhoods. The investigation is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.

Prosecutors, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson and Joshua K. Davis, are handling the case, with further legal proceedings expected. The indictment serves as a reminder of the continued efforts to dismantle drug networks in rural communities across the state.