Atlanta Drug Supplier Sentenced to 28 Years for Fentanyl Distribution in Middle Georgia

MACON, Ga. – An Atlanta resident responsible for supplying large quantities of fentanyl and other controlled substances to distributors in Middle Georgia has been sentenced to over 28 years in federal prison. Lagary Williams, also known as "Frog," 40, of Atlanta, was sentenced to 340 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on August 8. Williams pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on October 30, 2023. In the federal system, there is no parole.

Williams was a key figure in a drug distribution network that supplied deadly narcotics, including fentanyl, throughout Georgia. Evidence presented in court included wiretap recordings where Williams mocked the death of a man who overdosed on fentanyl he had supplied.

“Lagary Williams—who was recorded on wiretap mocking the death of a man who overdosed on his fentanyl supply—is now held accountable for providing kilograms of fentanyl and other deadly drugs to people living in Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat we’ve faced, and our office will continue to pour every available resource into addressing the fentanyl crisis alongside our federal, local and state law enforcement partners.”

“Fentanyl and methamphetamine have taken a terrible toll on our communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Division. “This drug distributor and his associates will now face the consequences of their actions.”

“A large amount of deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine was taken off the streets of Central Georgia, and a key supplier has been stopped,” added GBI Director Chris Hosey. “Partnering with law enforcement at every level, GBI will continue to dedicate resources to investigating armed drug distribution activity in a collective effort to make the communities we serve safer.”

The investigation began in July 2020 when agents from the DEA Macon Resident Office, the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force (ODTF), and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) received information about illegal drug activities in the Milledgeville area. Co-defendant Damon Hayes was identified as a major distributor of methamphetamine, powder cocaine, and crack cocaine, with Williams serving as his supply source. Surveillance revealed Hayes acquiring large quantities of narcotics from Williams’ luxury apartment in downtown Atlanta.

During the investigation, Williams and another distributor were recorded on wiretap discussing an overdose victim who died from fentanyl supplied by Williams. In one recording played during the sentencing hearing, Williams laughed and said, “You got one under your belt, boy,” referring to the victim’s death.

On September 10, 2021, after wiretap intercepts indicated that Hayes was traveling to Atlanta for a drug re-supply meeting with Williams, federal agents executed a search warrant at Williams’ apartment. Upon their arrival, Williams and another individual attempted to evade capture by jumping off the apartment balcony but were both apprehended.

Inside the apartment, agents recovered 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl, one kilogram of methamphetamine, two kilograms of cocaine, approximately 50 grams of cocaine base, seven pounds of marijuana, a Glock 19 9mm pistol, and a Ruger model 57 handgun.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation, which aims to identify, disrupt, and dismantle high-level criminal organizations. More information about OCDETF can be found on the Department of Justice's website.

The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the DEA, GBI, the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office, the Jones County Sheriff’s Office, the Atlanta-Carolina’s HIDTA Office, and the Gwinnett Metro Task Force.

Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes prosecuted the case.

For more information on the convictions of co-defendants in this case, visit Department of Justice’s website.

Bed, sink and dumbells in cellPhoto byRon Lach