SUPERIOR COURT
The original target of an investigation that resulted in the arrest of more than 100 individuals for violation of Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act entered a guilty plea in Jones County Superior court last week. Willie Michael Wood Jr. entered his plea Dec. 8 and received a prison sentence of 20 years to serve for the offense.
The case was prosecuted by John Ragan with the Georgia Prosecuting Attorney Council, who told the court that the negotiated plea included that Wood was charged as a repeat offender and he would receive credit for time served from his arrest Jan.
26, 2021.
The plea was accepted by Jones County Superior Court Judge Amanda Petty.
Ragan said a wiretap was one of the tools used in the investigation of the case, and Wood was responsible for bringing drugs into Jones County.
He added that statements given by Wood led investigators up the chain to offenders in Bibb County and Atlanta.
Wood was on probation at the time of his arrest for 2013 drug charges. The balance of that case was revoked.
Wood was represented by defense attorney Keri Foster Thompson. The attorney told the court that her client wanted to put the case behind him.
“He agrees he has drug problem that led him to the situation he is in today,” Thompson said.
At the conclusion of the proceeding, the judge spoke to Wood.
“I understand the problem with substance abuse, but this went from you having a problem to bringing drugs into the community. That will not be tolerated; your decisions not only affect you,” Petty said.
In addition to Wood, codefendant Devondra Veon Cousin Sr. entered his guilty plea Dec. 8. He was sentenced to 15 years for the offense of Violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act with the first four years to be served in confinement. The remainder of his sentence may be served on probation.
Cousin received credit for time served from his Aug. 13, 2021, arrest.
Operation Lone Ranger
The 2021 RICO Case was announced by Jones County Sheriff Butch Reece at a press conference April 7, 2021.
Reece was surrounded by officers from 13 law enforcement agencies that helped Jones County in the investigation of the case.
The investigation was named Operation Lone Ranger in memory of Capt. Jimmy Black, who died Dec. 25, 2020, following a battle with cancer. Black spent 42 years in law enforcement with the past 28 years as an investigator with the JCSO drug unit.
The investigation started in Jones County but reached to Atlanta. The investigation was opened into the sale and distribution of heroin and methamphetamine in June of 2019.
Wood was identified as a supplier in Jones and surrounding counties and moved up to the suppliers.
Seizures during the RICO investigation included four kilograms of methamphetamine, four kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of heroin and quantities of assorted other prescription medications and marijuana.
In addition to the drugs, 14 firearms and over $110,000 in U.S. Currency was also seized.
