Duluth Man Sentenced for Trafficking Methamphetamine

ATLANTA - Jorge Rodriguez-Martinez has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in distributing multiple kilograms of methamphetamine in the metro-Atlanta area.

"Methamphetamine traffickers pose a grave threat to our communities and peddle these dangerous drugs in total disregard of the lives they place at risk," said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. "Thanks to the coordinated and tireless efforts of our federal and state partners, Rodriguez-Martinez will now be held accountable for his crimes."

"Our communities remain under attack by drug traffickers with no regard for the harm and destruction they cause," said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. "DEA will continue to bring to justice the drug traffickers who drive addiction and destroy our communities."

"Under DEA leadership, the federal, state and local agencies assigned to the Atlanta Carolinas work tirelessly to thwart this poison from impacting so many communities in North Georgia," said Dan Salter, Director of the Atlanta Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. This investigation, culminating with the sentencing of Rodriguez-Martinez, exemplifies that good always prevails and the effort and commitment by agents and task force officers is noble."

According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: On October 7, 2020, a confidential source (CS) working with agents from the DEA, made multiple recorded phone calls to Rodriguez-Martinez to purchase several kilograms of methamphetamine. After the phone calls, Rodriguez-Martinez, who was being surveilled by federal law enforcement agents, travelled to a location in the metro-Atlanta area to meet with a drug supplier at a Dunwoody apartment complex. Rodriguez-Martinez traveled to the CS's residence where he dropped off his truck containing multiple kilograms of methamphetamine, switched vehicles, then drove away.

The CS placed additional recorded phone calls to Rodriguez-Martinez, during which Rodriguez-Martinez confirmed that the drugs were in the truck and agreed to return to the CS's residence to pick up the drugs. Rodriguez-Martinez next travelled to the CS's residence, picked up the methamphetamine, and quickly departed. Shortly thereafter, the Georgia State Patrol stopped Rodriguez-Martinez's vehicle and located approximately three kilograms of methamphetamine on the front passenger floorboard.

Jorge Rodriguez-Martinez, 56, of Duluth, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones on August 16, 2024, to two concurrent 10 year sentences in prison on each count to be followed by four years of supervised release. Following a three-day trial, a federal jury convicted Rodriguez-Martinez on April 25, 2024, on one count of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Atlanta Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, with assistance from the Georgia State Patrol.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney McClellon D. Cox, III, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra E. Strippoli prosecuted the case. This case was previously prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel S. Lyons.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney's Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.