An Expired Tag Turns Into Federal Prison Time for a Georgia Man

Greenville, MS - U.S. Attorney Scott Leary announced that a Homeland Security Task Force Operation led to the sentence of Dannie Thomas, of Dacula, Georgia. Thomas was sentenced today before the Honorable Deborah M. Brown, Chief United States District Court Judge, to 120 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.

This case was initiated by the Pontotoc County Sheriff's Office. According to court documents, at the time of his arrest Thomas was in possession of 50 kilograms of cocaine, along with a large amount of currency. The defendant has a lengthy criminal record dating back decades.

Scott Leary, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi stated: "For years our communities have been decimated by the trafficking in illegal drugs. Cocaine fosters addiction, and addiction destroys families. Moreover, the illegal drug trade fuels violent crime and subsidizes drug cartels. And the drug cartels not only traffic in drugs but also traffic in human beings. Let's work together in combatting this scourge. The Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative was designed to encourage state and federal law enforcement cooperation, which is what happened in this case. The Pontotoc County Sheriff's Office and the DEA did a great job putting this case together. Let's maintain the momentum."

"This case highlights how critical proactive law enforcement is to our communities," said DEA Special Agent in Charge, John P. Scott, New Orleans Field Division. "Thanks to the sharp instincts of the Pontotoc County Sheriff's Deputy and the investigative power of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), fifty kilograms of cocaine and a massive amount of illicit currency were intercepted before they could do further harm. The DEA, alongside our HSTF partners, will continue to relentlessly pursue and prosecute those who think they can transport illegal narcotics through our state."

Pontotoc County Sheriff Leo Mask stated, "I am proud to partner with the U.S. Attorney's Office and the DEA to reduce the flow of illegal narcotics, and this clearly demonstrates what can be accomplished with that partnership."

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating tin the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Jackson comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ICE ERO, CBP, CBP OFO, CBP USBP, CBP AMO, CGIS, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS and with the prosecution being led by the United State's Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad M. Doleac prosecuted the case.