Duluth man sentenced for trafficking methamphetamine

Appellate Courts
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Ryan K. Buchanan U.S. Attorney | US Attorney's office Northern District of Georgia

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, 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 these calls, Rodriguez-Martinez traveled to a location in metro-Atlanta to meet with a drug supplier at a Dunwoody apartment complex. He then 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 during which Rodriguez-Martinez confirmed that the drugs were in the truck and agreed to return to pick them up. Shortly thereafter, Georgia State Patrol stopped his vehicle and located approximately three kilograms of methamphetamine on the front passenger floorboard.

Rodriguez-Martinez was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones on August 16, 2024, to 10 years in prison on each count, served concurrently, followed by four years of supervised release. A federal jury convicted him on April 25, 2024.

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

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney McClellon D. Cox III and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra E. Strippoli prosecuted this case along with previous prosecution by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel S. Lyons.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office recommends parents and children learn about drug dangers at www.justthinktwice.gov.

For further information contact USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.

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