Two Pelham defendants convicted by jury, sentenced to prison on drug charges
Thyrone Jones, 44, and Kareda McGee, 31, both of Pelham, convicted on drug charges
A funeral home owner in Coffee County has been arrested following the discovery of 18 bodies in various stages of decomposition.
Special PhotoFrom Staff Reports
ALBANY — Two defendants found guilty by a citizen jury on multiple drug-related charges earlier this year were sentenced Tuesday by a federal judge, Middle District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Charles Peeler announced.
Thyrone Jones, 44, of Pelham, was convicted on eight counts of distribution of cocaine and one count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute following a three-day trial that began on March 18. His co-defendant, Kareda McGee, 31, also of Pelham, was convicted on two counts of distribution of cocaine and one count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
The jury deliberated for approximately 90 minutes before returning a guilty verdict on all charges. U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner sentenced Jones to 240 months imprisonment plus nine years supervised release and McGee to 21 months to serve consecutive to any probation revocation imposed by Mitchell County Superior Court for her 2015 conviction for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
Jones has a prior federal conviction for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. There is no parole in the federal court system.
The facts presented at trial show Jones sold various amounts of cocaine to confidential informants under surveillance on eight separate occasions from February 2018 to July 2018, all within Pelham’s city limits. McGee was involved in the illegal transactions during three of those sales.
Court officials said that when a search warrant was executed in July 2018 at the residence shared by Jones and McGee, Pelham police found more than $15,000 in cash, quantities of cocaine and a set of digital scales, along with multiple text messages requesting illegal drugs.
“Today’s sentencing shows that drug dealers who continue to endanger the public will face serious federal prison time in Middle Georgia,” Peeler said in a news release. “I want to commend the Pelham Police Department, and thank those officers for their commitment to making their hometown a safer place for people to live and work.”
The case was investigated by the Pelham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the federal government.
Related Articles
Small actions can help save big on utility bills
The high temperatures of July and August can bring scorching utility bills as air conditioners hum to keep houses cool. Albany Utilities Residential Conservation Auditor Willie Jackson offered some tips on making summer cooling bills more manageable.
Bigger budget will mean improvements at Dougherty County’s landfill
“It’s certainly an opportunity where we can grow and make this very beneficial for years to the community. It’s a service that we provide for the community and I want to prolong that resource for the community. It’s not just fill it up and close it.”
Putting on the Ritz: The rise, fall and renewal of Albany’s Harlem District
On July 7, the Albany City Commission unanimously approved final construction drawings for a comprehensive restoration of the Ritz Theatre and Cultural Center, clearing the way for the project to move into competitive bidding after years of planning and preservation efforts. The decision marks the latest chapter in a decades-long effort to preserve one of Southwest Georgia’s most significant African American landmarks.
