Significant federal prison sentences handed down for drug- and firearm-related charges

SAVANNAH, Georgia: Three Savannah men have been sentenced to prison following firearm- and drug-related plea agreements.

The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker and announced by Margaret E. "Meg" Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. They include:

• Lafayette Wright Jr., 38, of Savannah, was sentenced to 190 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Heroin. Court documents and testimony show that in June 2024, Wright attempted to mail a package through the U.S. Postal Service which contained 1,988 grams of heroin. U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted the package in transit from Phoenix to Port Wentworth, Georgia. During the investigation, fingerprints were discovered within the package and still-photo images identified Wright as the individual who mailed the package.
• Aquille Omar Johnson, 32, of Savannah, was sentenced to 120 months in prison and a $1,200 fine followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine. In March 2024, Savannah Police attempted to execute a search warrant of Johnson's residence along with an arrest warrant for Johnson when he fled and attempted to discard a Glock .40 caliber pistol. The search warrant resulted in the discovery of another firearm, a Bonito 12-gauge shotgun along with multiple rounds of ammunition, as well as 448 grams of cocaine in the defendant's room at his residence.
• James Adkins, 28, of Savannah, was sentenced to 21 months in prison and a $1,200 fine followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. In July 2025, Savannah Police responded to a shoplifting call at a Savannah-area Kroger supermarket and approached the defendant as the person matching the description provided by witnesses. Adkins attempted to flee and during the foot pursuit discarded a Ruger 9 mm pistol before surrendering to law enforcement officers.

There is no parole in the federal system. Under federal law, it is prohibited for previously convicted felons to possess firearms or ammunition.

"These sentences demonstrate the commitment this office and our law enforcement partners take to safeguard our communities," said U.S. Attorney Heap. "Drugs and guns are a threat to neighborhoods far and wide; and those who endanger the public will face significant consequences for their crimes."

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Savannah Police Department assisted in the investigation of these cases. These cases were prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson, John P. Harper III, Ryan E. Bondura, L. Alexander Hamner, and Makeia R. Jonese.