Facing life behind bars, Dwan Maurice Hewlett, also known as "LA," has been convicted on six charges of armed fentanyl trafficking in the Athens-Clarke community in Georgia. The 41-year-old from Hull, Georgia with a history of criminal activity, has been found guilty of drug trafficking involving methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, in addition to firearm offenses linked to drug trafficking and previous felony convictions, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
The trial that started on February 24 and wrapped on February 26, ended in Hewlett's conviction for conspiracy to distribute drugs and possession with intent to distribute, as well as firearm possession during a drug trafficking crime and by a convicted felon, having been flagged as a federal career offender, he now faces up to life in prison with a mandatory minimum of 30 years without possibility of parole, Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker emphasized the federal court's hard stance on career criminals especially those trafficking fentanyl, an opioid contributing to the national crisis, it's a grim fate set by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. "Tripp" Self III, with the sentencing date still pending.
In a collaborative effort hailed by local law enforcement, Hewlett's conviction was made possible through the partnership between Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD), the FBI's Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the DEA, and ATF, according to Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters expressed satisfaction with the outcome and praised the teamwork of ACCPD officers and detectives who worked on the case, Saulters told the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia, assuring the community that their focus on taking violent criminals off the streets remains a top priority for the department.
The case unfolded after ACCPD detectives used a confidential informant who called Hewlett to buy fentanyl, he agreed to meet at a local gas station where surveillance was set, and upon Hewlett's arrival officers moved in, triggering a brief foot chase resulting in his apprehension, Brian Ozden, FBI Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge, remarked on their determination to remove dangerous criminals and drugs like those sold by Hewlett from the streets, he will now have a long prison term to reflect on his actions, Ozden explained to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia. A search of Hewlett's vehicle following his arrest yielded various drugs ready for distribution and a loaded .380 pistol, reinforcing the charges against him.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison led the prosecution for this case, affirming the joint commitment of multiple law enforcement agencies to counter the blight of drug trafficking and the resultant community harm, Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA's Atlanta Division, Jae W. Chung, expressed the operation's success as a testament to the collective resolve to hold those accountable for fuelling drug-related violence and destruction within local communities.
