A Virginia man, Oscar Waters, has entered a guilty plea for drug trafficking charges involving narcotics such as fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin following a traffic stop in Grantville, Georgia. Caught during a police stop for speed, it was found that Waters was a passenger in a vehicle where large quantities of illegal drugs were ultimately discovered, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
Keisha Jackson-Murchison, the driver of the vehicle and a convicted felon, tried to flee on foot, carrying a backpack and a duffel bag across traffic and into a wooded area before being apprehended. Found within the bags were approximately three kilograms of fentanyl and fentanyl analogue, powder cocaine over 2.5 kilograms, crack cocaine in excess of a quarter-kilogram, and about five ounces of heroin. It appears running through traffic barefoot, that law enforcement officials nearly collided with her as Jackson-Murchison attempted her escape.
"Fentanyl and heroin pose extraordinary dangers to public safety and have destroyed countless lives," U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan stated. “Individuals who seek to profit from distributing these deadly drugs in and through our communities will be brought to justice through the collaborative work of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.” Waters hired Jackson-Murchison to transport him and the narcotics to Alabama for distribution. Sentencing for both individuals is scheduled for February 25, 2025, according to the same press release.
This prosecution falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aiming to connect law enforcement and communities in reducing violent crime and gun violence. The violent crime reduction strategy focuses on community support and strategic enforcement priorities, with said individuals caught in the act of trafficking these illicit substances, plays a crucial role according to information obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office. As part of the initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is directing parents and children to resources about the dangers of drugs available on websites such as www.justthinktwice.gov, www.operationprevention.com, and www.dea.gov/onepill.
Details around Oscar Dominick Waters' plea and Keisha Jackson-Murchison's involvement were released by the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office, providing insights into the coordinated efforts among Homeland Security Investigations, local police, and sheriff’s offices to crack down on drug trafficking activities. For any further details, the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office can be reached at [email protected] or via phone at (404) 581-6016.
