A high-ranking member of the Ghostface Gangsters, a criminal organization originating in the prison system, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for his involvement in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. The drugs were sourced from Mexico and distributed from within a Georgia prison.
Donald Jason Miles, also known as “Crash” or “Cocho,” aged 39, from Forsyth, Georgia, received a sentence of 360 months followed by five years of supervised release on June 24. He had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on November 13, 2024. Federal sentences do not include parole.
Two other individuals involved in the conspiracy were sentenced on February 28. Warren Frederick Courts, also known as “Dirty,” aged 38, from Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to 240 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to similar charges on August 1, 2024. Keeli Nycole Wallace, aged 34, from Covington, Georgia, received a sentence of 40 months followed by three years of supervised release after her guilty plea on August 14, 2024.
Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner presided over the case. U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes emphasized the threat posed by prison gangs and drug cartels: “Prison gangs and drug cartels pose a direct threat to the safety of our citizens and will not be tolerated.”
GBI Director Chris Hosey commented on the gang’s activities: “The Ghostface Gangsters have systematically worked to flood the communities of Georgia with dangerous drugs.” Jae W. Chung from the DEA Atlanta Division noted that Miles continued his activities despite being incarcerated: “This career criminal continued his drug trafficking activities despite being incarcerated.”
The investigation began when undercover GBI agents conducted a drug bust at Motel 6 in Albany on September 12, 2022. This was part of a larger probe into drug trafficking from Georgia prisons. Agents discovered that Courts arranged transactions from behind bars using Wallace as a courier for methamphetamine sourced from Mexico via metro Atlanta.
Wallace admitted to making multiple deliveries under Miles’s direction before her arrest at Motel 6 where she was found with approximately 1,400 grams of methamphetamine.
Miles recruited Wallace several months prior and introduced her to Courts; both are members of the Ghostface Gangsters with Courts acting as Miles’s subordinate. During one transaction involving methamphetamine delivery arranged by Courts through Wallace for an intended buyer who failed to show up at Walmart in Albany.
At that time Miles was serving sentences for various offenses including armed robbery and drug trafficking while incarcerated at Valdosta State Prison; Courts was held at Rutledge State Prison for separate offenses related to drug trafficking.
Searches conducted on September 16 revealed contraband phones used for coordinating illegal activities between them including communications about their Mexican source supplier leading investigators towards uncovering further distribution networks across Atlanta resulting eventually into distributing around fifty kilograms worth over two months period alone according evidence presented during trial proceedings held under Operation Take Back America initiative spearheaded nationwide effort targeting organized crime elements impacting community safety concerns significantly across United States territories today
Assistant U.S Attorney Matthew Redavid led prosecution efforts representing government interests throughout judicial process successfully concluding matter favorably against defendants involved herein mentioned above cited circumstances accordingly
