Carr Brings Additional Charges for Carfentanil Trafficking Operation in Chatham County

SAVANNAH, GA - Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that his Gang Prosecution Unit has secured a superseding indictment charging three more defendants in connection with a multistate drug trafficking operation in Chatham County. With this latest indictment, a total of nine individuals are now facing charges in this case. The original six defendants were indicted in September 2026.

Carr's Gang Prosecution Unit also brought new charges against some of those original six defendants. This includes Edkes Hakeem Mitchell, who was already facing roughly 50 counts and now has additional charges of Trafficking Carfentanil and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony.

Those indicted are alleged to have engaged in the possession and distribution of illegal narcotics, including Carfentanil - a synthetic opioid that is 10,000 times more potent than Morphine and 100 times more potent than Fentanyl.

After recovering 20 lbs. of Carfentanil in this case, law enforcement continued with its investigation, resulting in this latest indictment and additional drug and firearm seizures.

"If you're trafficking Carfentanil, you're knowingly putting lives at risk, and we won't stand for it," said Carr. "This is a drug that's 100 times more potent than Fentanyl, and it has absolutely no use for human beings. That's why we have continued to work this case - going after all those involved both in Georgia and across the country, and we're not letting up. We're grateful for our partnership with the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team and the DEA, and we're fighting each day to keep Georgians safe."

This case was investigated by the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT), the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) District Office in Savannah, Georgia, and DEA's Division Office in Phoenix, Arizona, with assistance from Carr's Gang Prosecution Unit.

New Defendants

The following three defendants are those newly charged in this latest indictment as obtained in November 2026:

• Omar Ledesma (aka Omar Ledezma)
• Leval Tyrone Pride (aka Level Pride)
• Travis Javonte Bright

Original Defendants

The following six defendants are those previously charged in the initial indictment as obtained in September 2026:

• Edkes Hakeem Mitchell (aka Edkius Mitchell, G.O.A.T. or Keyes)
• Rondell Javon Owens (aka Fly Dell or Smelly)
• Matthew Rigsby
• Rahemm Jawaun Jenkins (aka Heem)
• Tashiylah Nikeairia Riley
• Devonta Rakeem Winn (aka Von)

The Enterprise and Racketeering Conspiracy

Together, the following eight defendants are alleged to have formed a criminal enterprise at the center of this indictment.

• Edkes Hakeem Mitchell
• Rondell Javon Owens
• Matthew Rigsby
• Rahemm Jawaun Jenkins
• Tashiylah Nikeairia Riley
• Omar Ledesma
• Leval Tyrone Pride
• Travis Javonte Bright

As asserted in the indictment, the enterprise sought to illegally obtain money, Carfentanil (aka Blues) and Marijuana. To achieve this objective, the defendants are alleged to have engaged in repeated criminal activity, including, but not limited to:

• Procuring Carfentanil from the Phoenix, Arizona, area by coordinating with the Phoenix-based source of supply utilizing various means, including, but not limited to, telephonic, Apple FaceTime, text message and Apple iMessage;
• Procuring Marijuana from sources in California and elsewhere for distribution in Chatham County and throughout the State of Georgia;
• Initiating financial transactions, disguised to conceal their true purpose, between Savannah-based members of the enterprise and the Phoenix-based source of supply;
• Distributing narcotics received from the Phoenix, Arizona, area throughout Chatham County via the United Parcel Service (UPS) or other couriers;
• Utilizing drug distribution proceeds to support, directly and indirectly, the criminal street gang Waters Ave Crew (WAC) and its members or associates;
• Utilizing drug distribution proceeds to maintain defendant Edkes Mitchell's leadership and/or organizer role in the criminal street gang Waters Ave Crew (WAC);
• Distributing controlled substances, including, but not limited to, Carfentanil and Marijuana, in Chatham County and elsewhere in the State of Georgia and Georgia prisons;
• Distributing narcotics and contraband to co-conspirators incarcerated within one or more Georgia Department of Corrections prison(s); and
• Jointly operating multiple locations that acted as safe houses from which members stored and sold drugs.

As further asserted in the indictment, each of these eight defendants played the following role or roles within the organization that enabled its operation and success:

• Carfentanil Source of Supply: Omar Ledesma and Edkes Hakeem Mitchell
• Marijuana Source of Supply: Edkes Hakeem Mitchell and Rondell Javon Owens
• Narcotics Procurement and Transportation: Matthew Rigsby and Travis Javonte Bright
• Carfentanil Distribution: Hakeem Mitchell, Rondell Javon Owens, and Leval Tyrone Pride
• Marijuana Distribution: Hakeem Mitchell, Rondell Javon Owens, and Travis Javonte Bright
• Money Laundering: Edkes Hakeem Mitchell, Matthew Rigsby, Rahemm Jawaun Jenkins, Tashiylah Nikeairia Riley, Rondell Javon Owens, and Travis Javonte Bright

As such, all eight defendants are facing at least one count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.

Waters Ave Crew

The following five defendants are also facing charges related to their alleged association with the criminal street gang Waters Ave Crew (WAC).

• Edkes Hakeem Mitchell
• Rondell Javon Owens
• Rahemm Jawaun Jenkins
• Devonta Rakeem Winn
• Travis Javonte Bright

Mitchell and Owens are alleged to be high ranking associates of WAC.

New Chatham County Indictment

On Nov. 4, 2026, the Attorney General's Gang Prosecution Unit presented evidence to a Chatham County Grand Jury resulting in the indictment* of all nine defendants.

Edkes Hakeem Mitchell, 34, of Savannah:

• 3 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
• 3 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 17 counts of Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substances Act
• 2 counts of Attempt to Violate the Controlled Substances Act
• 25 counts of Money Laundering
• 1 count of Trafficking Carfentanil
• 1 count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

Rondell Javon Owens, 33, of Savannah:

• 3 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
• 3 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 6 counts of Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substances Act
• 2 counts of Money Laundering
• 1 count of Possession of More than an Ounce of Marijuana

Rahemm Jawaun Jenkins, 34, of Savannah:

• 3 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
• 2 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 5 counts of Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substances Act
• 2 counts of Money Laundering

Devonta Rakeem Winn, 34, of Savannah:

• 2 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 1 count of Money Laundering

Matthew Rigsby, 39, of Savannah:

• 3 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
• 17 counts of Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substances Act
• 2 counts of Attempt to Violate the Controlled Substances Act
• 18 counts of Money Laundering

Tashiylah Nikeairia Riley, 30, of Savannah:

• 3 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
• 5 counts of Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substances Act
• 1 count of Money Laundering

Leval Tyrone Pride, 50, of Pooler:

• 3 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
• 1 count of Trafficking Carfentanil
• 1 count of Trafficking Methamphetamine
• 3 counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
• 3 counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

Travis Javonte Bright, 34, of Savannah:

• 3 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
• 3 counts of Violation of Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 1 count of Conspiracy to Violate the Georgia Controlled Substances Act
• 1 count of Money Laundering

Omar Ledesma, 30, of Arizona:

• 1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

No further information about the investigation or the indictment may be released at this time by the Attorney General's Office.

About the Attorney General's Gang Prosecution Unit

In 2022, with the support of Governor Brian Kemp and members of the General Assembly, Attorney General Chris Carr created Georgia's first statewide Gang Prosecution Unit.

Since it began its historic work on July 1, 2022, the Gang Prosecution Unit has investigated and prosecuted cases in Athens-Clarke, Barrow, Bibb, Bryan, Chatham, Clayton, Cobb, Coffee, DeKalb, Dougherty, Fulton, Gwinnett, Laurens, Lowndes, Muscogee, Richmond, Spalding, Thomas, Upson, Washington and Webster counties, with more than 150 convictions secured across the state.

Carr's Gang Prosecution Unit is based in Atlanta, with regional, satellite prosecutors and investigators in Albany, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Savannah and Southeast Georgia.

The Gang Prosecution Unit is housed in the Attorney General's Prosecution Division, which also includes Carr's Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, his White Collar and Cyber Crime Unit, and his Organized Retail Crime Unit.

*Members of the public should keep in mind that indictments contain only allegations against the individual against whom the indictment is sought. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and it will be the government's burden at trial to prove the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the allegations contained in the indictment.