A major crackdown in North Georgia has landed a Commerce man a hefty 19-year prison sentence for drug trafficking crimes, with roots spreading out from behind bars. Brendan R. Gates, 37, was sentenced on charges of methamphetamine distribution and firearm possession in the circle of a prison-directed drug ring, according to a U.S. Department of Justice release.
The resident of Commerce, who was found guilty by a federal jury, will also see five years of supervised release after his prison term, which will run consecutively to any sentence he may receive in a pending case in Gwinnett County Superior Court. U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal handed down a sentence that will lock Gates away for a total of 228 months. Gates' offense sheet lists one count of possession with an intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Operating under the influence of prison inmates using contraband cell phones, the network was said to have sown chaos in the Athens community, according to prosecutors. "Armed criminal networks create chaos and sow destruction in our communities," U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary stated, emphasizing the collective endeavor by law enforcement to tackle such threats.
Gates' sentencing comes on the heel of a series of crackdowns against his co-defendants. Cindy Stamey, also implicated in the Athens-area drug operation, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison. These sentences are part of a broader Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force operation, aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations. The case was a result of shared efforts between the DEA and several Georgia law enforcement agencies, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Jarrett leading the prosecution.
Notably, Gates and his crew were instructed from behind bars by co-defendant Malcody Dinges, who managed the Athens area drug distribution from Wheeler Correctional Facility via illegal cell phones. During the DEA-led operation, searches at Gates' property resulted in the seizure of both guns and drugs, underscoring the violent underbelly of this drug enterprise.
