Gregory Buckner has been sentenced to federal prison for possessing and intending to distribute fentanyl and heroin. He attempted to sell thousands of pills containing fentanyl disguised as oxycodone tablets.
"Fentanyl and heroin pose an especially insidious danger to the public because they are so often disguised as counterfeit pills," stated U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. "This investigation and prosecution are the product of our collaborative efforts with our law enforcement partners to remove these deadly drugs from our communities and hold accountable individuals, such as Buckner, who attempt to distribute and profit from them."
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division, emphasized the importance of community safety: "The investigation and subsequent conviction of this drug dealer demonstrates the DEA’s commitment to fight drug traffickers who have no regard for the citizens of our community."
In April 2023, Buckner tried to sell 10,000 pills that appeared to be oxycodone but contained fentanyl. When confronted by investigators just before this transaction, he fled on foot after exiting his vehicle. A search of a storage unit rented by Buckner revealed a kilogram each of fentanyl and heroin. He was arrested three months later during a fugitive operation.
Buckner, aged 48 from Decatur, Georgia, received a sentence from U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May: six years and 11 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release. He was convicted for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances after pleading guilty on May 23, 2024.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation with assistance from the Georgia State Patrol and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric J. White and John T. DeGenova prosecuted the case.
The Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia advises parents and children to learn about drug dangers at www.justthinktwice.gov; www.operationprevention.com/; and www.dea.gov/onepill.
For more information, contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The website for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.