Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for 2016 Drug Trafficking in Georgia

Horace Mayfield, one of twenty-four individuals arrested in 2016, pleaded guilty this past week to possession and distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine.

According to authorities, Mayfield was connected to a multifaceted narcotics trafficking network. The network ranged from South Georgia into South Carolina. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was responsible for the bust. Over a ten-month period of time, the GBI seized 72 kilograms of cocaine, 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 50 pounds of marijuana.

In Georgia, we have the Controlled Substances Act which categorizes drugs into different schedules.

Schedule I controlled substances have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. These drugs include: heroin, LSD, and ecstasy.

Schedule II controlled substances also have a high potential for abuse but also a limited accepted medical use. These drugs include: oxycontin, morphine, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

Mayfield was sentenced to thirteen years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of both cocaine and methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

Possession of Schedule I or II Drugs with Intent to Distribute in Georgia

Possession of Schedule I or II Drugs with Intent to Distribute in Georgia is defined by Georgia Law in O.C.G.A. §16-13-310, which makes it both illegal to possess and distribute Schedule I and Schedule II controlled substances. The statute is as follows:

It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, deliver, distribute, dispense, administer, sell or possess with intent to distribute any controlled substance.

The penalties vary based on whether the accused individual is charged with possessing a Schedule I drug or possessing a Schedule II drug with intent to distribute. This is where a Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney comes in. We can help to explain what penalties you may be facing.

The penalty for being convicted with possession of Schedule I or Schedule II drugs with intent to distribute is a prison term of five to thirty years and is classified as a felony. However, a second or subsequent offense will face a penalty of prison for ten to forty years or possibly life in prison. 

Practice Note

There are situations, however, that can cause the penalties to be exacerbated. For example, being convicted of possession with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of school grounds, a park, housing project, or in a drug-free zone has it is own consequences. In any of those situations, the penalty will be a felony punishable by up to twenty years in prison and/or a fine up to $20,000 for the first offense.

If you or a loved one has been arrested for committing any of the drug offenses in Georgia, contact our offices today. A Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer can help you with your case.