If you are serious about preventing crime, you’d better address illegal drugs. Sixty percent or more of the cases on any trial calendar in Fayette County Superior Court are drug cases. Most of the others involve drugs in some way—stealing to get money to buy drugs; fighting because of the influence of drugs; forging prescriptions for drugs. In Fayette County, we’re not taking this lying down.

We have a Drug Task Force made up of officers from the Sheriff’s Department, Fayetteville Police, and Tyrone Police. It is the envy of the state. This is the group that busted over seventy marijuana grow houses all over Georgia. Around the clock these officers pursue drug dealers tirelessly and aggressively. They use state-of-the-art technology and they catch a lot of dealers. Then they seize their cars, cash and other property, hitting the kingpins where it hurts.

When the dealers get to court, it hurts again. Ask Shawn Perkins (15 years and a fine of $300,000 for trafficking). Shedrick McCombs was sentenced to 20 years and a fine of $200,000 for trafficking. So was Robert Senior. Fernando Rivas, Jose Navarro, and Jackson Martinez each got 30 years and a $1,000,000 fine. That’s right, ONE MILLION DOLLARS. Roberto Camacho and Efrain Oliveres received sentences of 40 years in prison and fines of $1,000,000 each.

Years ago Bo Ginn ran for Governor of Georgia. His slogan was “Pusher, meet the slammer.” In Fayette County our Drug Task Force and Superior Court make that introduction at every opportunity.