Atlanta Violent Drug Dealer Gets 23 Years in Federal Prison

ATLANTA—A man with a history of violent and drug-related crimes has been sentenced to 23 years in federal prison for operating a large-scale drug trafficking operation in Atlanta.

Royce Cobb, 47, also known as “Rapp,” was sentenced on August 28 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg, Cobb, a multi-time convicted felon, was responsible for distributing at least 50 kilograms of cocaine, 4 kilograms of methamphetamine, and various quantities of fentanyl and heroin from a stash house in southwest Atlanta. Cobb previously served prison sentences for offenses including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, in which he killed a drug customer in 2001, and multiple drug and firearm charges.

The DEA began surveilling Cobb in 2022, leading to the seizure of large quantities of drugs, firearms, and cash from his customers and associates. In July 2023, agents executed a search warrant at his stash house, where they seized fentanyl, methamphetamine, marijuana, a loaded semiautomatic firearm, and over a quarter-million dollars in cash.

“More than a decade behind bars failed to deter Cobb from trafficking large amounts of drugs from an Atlanta stash house while armed,” said U.S. Attorney Hertzberg. “Thankfully, the determined investigation of the DEA and their state and local partners finally halted Cobb’s illicit activity.”

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), with assistance from several other law enforcement agencies.