Conyers Meth Bust Seizes 440 Pounds; Twice-Deported Man Faces Federal Charges
ATLANTA, Georgia – A 57-year-old Mexican man who federal prosecutors say was twice deported after drug trafficking convictions is facing new federal charges after agents seized about 440 pounds of methamphetamine from a van in the Conyers area, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Gerardo Miranda Mendoza of Morelia, Mexico, appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. A judge ordered him held in U.S. Marshals Service custody without bail.
How the Conyers meth bust unfolded
Prosecutors said the case grew out of a federal drug trafficking investigation. On November 7, law enforcement watched Mendoza and another person arrive in separate vehicles at a store parking lot in Stonecrest. Mendoza arrived in a van and went inside the store, authorities said.
The other person then drove the van to a warehouse in Conyers, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors said that man loaded trash bags into the van at the warehouse, returned to the store parking lot and left the vehicle. Mendoza then got back into the van and drove away.
A Georgia State Patrol trooper stopped the van shortly afterward for a traffic violation. A search turned up numerous trash bags holding a total of about 440 pounds of methamphetamine.
Prior convictions and deportations
Investigators found that Mendoza has a 2009 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute crystal methamphetamine and a 1998 California conviction for transporting controlled substances. Authorities deported him after each conviction, most recently in November 2017.
“Despite two prior drug trafficking convictions and subsequent deportations, Mendoza allegedly returned illegally and attempted to traffic a massive amount of methamphetamine in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “As a result of the tireless efforts and dedication of the Homeland Security Task Force, Mendoza now faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life in federal prison, and nearly a quarter-ton of deadly methamphetamine has been taken off the street.”
Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division, pointed to the multi-agency approach. “Criminal drug trafficking organizations do not operate within jurisdictional boundaries, and neither can our response,” he said. “The Homeland Security Task Force provides a unified approach, bringing law enforcement partners together to share intelligence, coordinate investigations, and pursue those who threaten the safety and security of our communities. A seizure of this magnitude is a reminder of why these partnerships matter.”
Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service‘s Atlanta Division, also commented. “Narcotics are destroying lives and devastating communities across the region. Every gram, every pill, and every sale of these drugs have the potential to ruin lives,” he said. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of these deadly drugs and hold criminals who profit from poisoning our communities accountable.”
Investigation and prosecution
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case, with help from the Georgia State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Waldbeser is prosecuting it.
The complaint contains only charges. Mendoza is presumed innocent, and the government must prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
