Laurens County drug trafficker sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison

AUGUSTA, GA: A Laurens County man has been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking charges.

Ricky Rich, 42, of East Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 228 months in prison after pleading guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen also ordered Rich to pay a $2,500 fine and to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

"Ricky Rich is a career offender with a long history of distributing illegal drugs in the middle Georgia area," said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. "This substantial prison sentence holds him accountable while protecting the community from his criminal activity."

As described in court documents and testimony, investigators from the Laurens County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, identified Rich as a prolific drug distributor.

Investigators found large amounts of drugs at Rich's home and that of a relative, including deadly fentanyl and drug paraphernalia. Rich was on parole for prior state drug trafficking charges at the time he entered federal custody.

As part of his plea agreement, Rich forfeited ownership of 19 illegally possessed firearms and ammunition seized during the searches. He also faces prosecution for related state charges.

"Last year, we lost approximately 110,757 people to drug poisonings - a majority from synthetic opioids such as fentanyl," said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. "DEA will continue to bring to justice drug traffickers who drive addiction and destroy communities."

"This sentence sends a clear message: We will not tolerate any person that brings poisonous drugs, like fentanyl, into our communities," said Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey. "The GBI will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to remove illegal drugs from our streets."

"As sheriff of Laurens County, it is my pleasure to work hand in hand with federal, state and local law enforcement to rid our community of dangerous drug traffickers," said Laurens County Sheriff Larry Dean. "I commend each person involved in this investigation and thank them for a job well done. I have always said I will do everything in my power to eliminate illegal drugs in Dublin and Laurens County and I will continue to do so."

The case was investigated by the Laurens County Sheriff's Office, the Savannah Field Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Harper III.

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