Multiple defendants receive lengthy terms of imprisonment

WAYCROSS, Georgia: Defendants in five separate cases were issued a total of 870 months' worth of prison sentences, Oct. 7, 2026.

The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood and announced by Margaret E. "Meg" Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

The defendants and their sentences are as follows:

• Christopher Hawkins, a/k/a "Rayshon Hawkins," 31, of Douglas, was sentenced to 240 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release following his conviction at trial for one count of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute Cocaine, Marijuana, Oxycodone, and 500 grams or more of Methamphetamine, five counts of Distribution of Cocaine, six counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine, two counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, and one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
• Ernest Goodman, 44, of Waycross, was sentenced to 212 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute Cocaine, Marijuana, Oxycodone, and Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Goodman was subjected to enhanced penalties due to his designation as an Armed Career Criminal.
• Aaron Kahn, 50, of Douglas, was sentenced to 138 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute Cocaine, Marijuana, Oxycodone, and Methamphetamine.

As described in court documents and testimony, Hawkins, Goodman, and Kahn were members of a wide-ranging drug trafficking conspiracy spanning Coffee, Atkinson, Ware, and Bacon Counties. The defendants participated in a conspiracy to import and distribute large amounts of illegal drugs in the Douglas community and in surrounding counties during a roughly four-year period from early 2021 through the time of the indictment. Much of the conspiracy was directed from inside Georgia state prisons using contraband cell phones, and the investigation included the seizure of 21 illegally possessed firearms.

There were 33 additional defendants who were convicted after pleading guilty to various drug- and gun-related charges, with 17 of them sentenced to terms of up to 126 months in prison. An additional defendant, Marquan Jenkins, 32, an inmate in the Georgia Department of Corrections, was convicted at trial and awaits sentencing, one defendant passed away before adjudication, and another was acquitted at trial.

The case was investigated under the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), and the HSTF initiative was established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

The agencies responsible for conducting this investigation included the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Coffee County Sheriff's Office Drug Unit, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Southeast Regional Drug Enforcement Office, the Georgia State Patrol, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, Ware County Sheriff's Office, the Douglas Police Department, the Bacon County Sheriff's Office, the Atkinson County Sheriff's Office, the Waycross Police Department, the Marion County (Florida) Sheriff's Office, and the Jacksonville (Florida) County Sheriff's Office. The case has been prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson and Joshua K. Davis.

Judge Wood also sentenced two additional defendants associated with separate cases; they include:

• Guillermo Sanchez-Zuniga, a/k/a "G," a/k/a "Kasper," 28, of Pearson, Ga., was sentenced to 160 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Distribution of more than 5 grams of Methamphetamine.

According to court documents and testimony, between November 2024 and May 2025, investigators with the FBI began an investigation in conjunction with the Atkinson County Sheriff's Office into drug trafficking activities of the defendant. On multiple occasions, investigators determined that Sanchez-Zuniga had sold quantities of methamphetamine during controlled purchases to undercover agents.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Atkinson County Sheriff's Office and was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer J. Kirkland.

• Herlindo Perez-Barajas, a/k/a "Jose Flores Garcia," a/k/a "Primo," 50, an illegal alien living in Waycross, Ga., was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute more than 50 grams of Methamphetamine.

According to court documents and testimony, during an October 2024 traffic stop by Georgia State Patrol, Perez-Barajas was discovered with more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. After the illegal narcotics were found, troopers referred the defendant to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement due to his illegal immigration status.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Georgia State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marcela C. Mateo and Bradley R. Thompson.

"Each of these cases are a testament to our law enforcement partners, and to the commitment of investigators across all levels of local, state and federal agencies providing extensive investigative material to the court," said U.S. Attorney Heap. "These significant sentences send an unmistakable message: no matter where you attempt to direct criminal enterprise, law enforcement will find you, disrupt your network, and ensure you face justice."

"These sentences reflect the impact of strong partnerships and coordinated investigations in dismantling drug trafficking networks," said Brad Snider, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta's Brunswick office. "The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue targeting those who distribute dangerous drugs and use firearms to fuel criminal activity, ensuring they are held accountable for the harm they cause our communities."

"These sentences reflect the serious harm drug trafficking operations and illegal firearms pose to our communities," said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Graves. "ATF is committed to working alongside the FBI and our law enforcement partners to investigate and ensure those who threaten public safety are brought to justice."