Kabryen Sharrod Ross, also known as “Juice,” was sentenced on April 2 to ten years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl while armed, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia. Ross, age 33 and from Tifton, will also serve five years of supervised release after his prison term. He had previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. There is no parole in the federal system.
Authorities said that Ross sold heroin mixed with fentanyl from an outdoor table near a residence on South Ridge Avenue in Tifton. To avoid detection and destroy evidence quickly if necessary, he kept a burn barrel burning at the location and offered discounts or trades for wood pallets to keep the fire going. An undercover agent working with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and Tift County Sheriff’s Office conducted eight controlled purchases from Ross between March and May 2022.
During these operations, agents seized quantities of heroin mixed with fentanyl and observed Ross carrying a Glock firearm. A search warrant executed at his home on Park Avenue South on June 3, 2022 led officers to recover more drugs along with a loaded Glock handgun and ammunition.
U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes said, “Fentanyl dealers endanger the entire community by distributing this lethal and illegal substance.” Keyes also credited local law enforcement agencies: “The Tift County Sheriff’s Office and the GBI successfully shut down this fentanyl source, saving lives and holding those responsible accountable.”
GBI Director Chris Hosey commented on law enforcement efforts: “The GBI remains committed to stopping the supply of deadly substances like fentanyl into our communities,” Hosey said. “Our agents and law enforcement partners place themselves in harm’s way each day to apprehend those responsible, purge these drugs from our communities and protect the public.”
Ross’ co-defendant Adrian Jarod Stanley was previously sentenced to just over ten years in prison after pleading guilty to distribution of methamphetamine.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Take Back America—a Department of Justice initiative targeting illegal immigration, cartels, transnational criminal organizations, and violent crime.
