Probationer Arrested after Welfare Check Leads to Meth Trafficking Bust in Stephens County

STEPHENS COUNTY, GA – A welfare check in Eastanollee, GA, led to a major drug arrest Friday afternoon after deputies uncovered evidence of narcotics trafficking at a local residence.

At approximately 2:21 p.m. on January 16, 2026, deputies with the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence on Racetrack Road to conduct a welfare check. During the response, deputies received information indicating that 61-year-old Steven Savage of Eastanollee was involved in the distribution of methamphetamine and marijuana in Stephens County.

Investigators with the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division Crime Suppression Unit were already familiar with Savage, who was on felony probation stemming from a prior conviction for aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. As part of that sentence, Savage had waived his Fourth Amendment rights related to search and seizure.

Deputies and investigators relocated to Savage’s nearby residence, where a search uncovered a trafficking-level quantity of methamphetamine, approximately 1.31 ounces, and a felony amount of marijuana totaling 1.23 ounces. The drugs were packaged in smaller baggies, consistent with distribution, and deputies also recovered a digital scale.

Savage was arrested without incident and transported to the Stephens County Jail. He is charged with trafficking methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and felony possession of marijuana. A Stephens County magistrate judge denied bond, and Savage remains in custody.

Sheriff Rusty Fulbright praised the coordinated effort that led to the arrest, thanking the Sheriff’s Office Crime Suppression Unit, Uniform Patrol Division, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office for their work.

“The safety of Stephens County is our top priority,” Fulbright said. “We are committed to protecting our residents through the diligent pursuit and prosecution of those involved in the illicit drug trade. Together, we’re building a stronger, safer Stephens.”

Anyone with information about illegal drug activity in Stephens County is encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 706-886-7048, submit a tip through the department’s mobile app, or report anonymously using the GBI’s See Something, Send Something app.