Richmond County Man Sentenced to Nearly 15 Years for Drug Trafficking and Gun Possession

Richmond County man, Kelvin Laron Howard, 68, of Augusta, has been sentenced to nearly 15 years in federal prison following his conviction on drug trafficking and gun possession charges. Howard was sentenced to 175 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall after a jury found him guilty of Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg stated, “Kelvin Howard was identified as a significant distributor of illegal drugs in the Augusta area, and held to account through a jury trial. His sentence demonstrates there is no tolerance for armed drug dealers in our community.”

The jury convicted Howard on all charges in December 2023 based on evidence presented during trial, including findings from an investigation by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities discovered heroin, drug scales, packaging materials, nearly $1,000 in cash, and a loaded semiautomatic pistol during a search of Howard’s apartment.

Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives emphasized the commitment to increasing community safety, stating, “We will pursue criminals wherever they may operate, and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree expressed gratitude for community support, highlighting that Howard’s conviction removes an illegal firearm from the streets and illegal drugs from the community.

The investigation was conducted by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia G. Rhodes and L. Alexander Hamner.