Coffee County Fugitive and Meth Trafficker Captured After Months on the Run

Coffee County, GA – A months-long search for a repeat fugitive came to an end Saturday when the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Interdiction and Criminal Enforcement Unit (D.I.C.E. Unit) arrested William Micajah Batten, a man well known to local law enforcement for dealing methamphetamine and ephedrine.

Deputies say Batten has been dodging arrest since violating the conditions of his parole in late 2024, prompting the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles to issue a warrant. Officers identified him several months ago, but he managed to escape on foot during that encounter.

This weekend, Batten again tried to flee when agents located him, but he was met with a coordinated, prepared response from the newly formed D.I.C.E. Unit. He was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Coffee County Pre-Trial Detention Center.

Batten has a history of felony drug convictions and is known for distributing meth and the precursor chemical ephedrine, which is used in the production of crystal meth. His arrest, deputies say, removes another source of dangerous narcotics from the community.

“This operation is exactly what our zero-tolerance, no-nonsense policy looks like,” Sheriff Fred Cole said. “It’s a reflection of our firm stance on drug and criminal activity in our community.”

The Sheriff’s Office says it will continue proactive operations and inter-unit collaboration to target drug offenders and protect Coffee County residents.