STATESBORO, Georgia: A Candler County man has been sentenced to federal prison for methamphetamine distribution.
The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall and announced by Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Nakia Donaldson , 36, of Metter, was sentenced to 192 months in prison and a $2,000 fine followed by four years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Distribution of Methamphetamine.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and testimony, in 2024, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) initiated an investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine by Donaldson.
During a July 2024 controlled purchase, investigators used covert electronic recording devices to capture Donaldson selling nine ounces of methamphetamine to undercover agents for $1,400. Testing conducted later by the GBI Division of Forensic Science at the Coastal Regional Lab confirmed the presence of methamphetamine.
Donaldson’s co-defendants, Efram Todd Donaldson , 57, of Metter, was sentenced to 48 months in prison and a $2,000 fine followed by three years of supervised release, and Justin E. Aldrich , 40, of Metter, was sentenced to time served and a $1,500 fine followed by three years of supervised release after both defendants pled guilty to Distribution of Methamphetamine.
"Our communities are significantly safer today because federal and local law enforcement moved quickly to sever this supply chain," said U.S. Attorney Heap. "By intercepting this defendant with a significant amount of methamphetamine, the GBI effectively cut off a toxic pipeline pouring into Metter. Let this serve as a clear warning that we will aggressively pursue and dismantle trafficking operations at every level."
The case was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement agencies.
“This sentencing is the result of excellent undercover work that exposed a dangerous drug distribution operation,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI worked alongside our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of methamphetamine into the local community, and we will continue to pursue those who bring dangerous drugs into the communities we serve.”
This case was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys L. Alexander Hamner and Darron J. Hubbard.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Southern District of Georgia — U.S. Department of Justice press release.