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Georgia man gets almost 20 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine

By WSBTV.com News Staff

By WSBTV.com News Staff

WARNER ROBINS — The U.S. Department of Justice said a Georgia man will spend almost 20 years behind bars after being convicted for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl in Middle Georgia.

According to USDOJ, Travis “Trap” Warthen, 40 of Warner Robins, is one of nine defendants investigated as part of an armed drug trafficking organization.

Court documents and other details from testimony in court shared by the U.S. Attorney’s Office said that between October 2021 and June 2022, Warthen and his co-defendants were investigated for distributing narcotics, mostly meth and fentanyl, to Raiford Reeves, at her condo in Buckhead.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration partnered with local law enforcement to investigate the drug trafficking operation, which federal officials said was led by Reeves.

“Law enforcement obtained court orders to intercept the phone calls and text messages from cell phones belonging to Breland and Reeves and conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Reeves. Reeves would supply other co-defendants, including Warthen, with some of the narcotics to sell,” according to USDOJ.

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On May 25, Reeves got methamphetamine from co-defendant Heather Marie Breland while in Atlanta and met with Warthen in Warner Robins to give him the narcotics.

After the transaction, federal agents followed Warthen to try and perform a traffic stop but Warthen drove away into oncoming traffic at more than 100 miles per hour, according to the Justice Department.

Warthen lost control and wrecked the vehicle, then ran away on foot before falling over and being detained, officials said.

“Agents seized a stolen 9mm caliber handgun under the front passenger seat and found a blue plastic container holding 274.2 grams of methamphetamine in the rear floorboard area,” according to the Justice Department.

Warthen has a “lengthy criminal history including prior felony convictions” at both state and federal levels for drug distribution, USDOJ said.

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On Sept. 28, 2023, Warthen entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and on Wednesday, he was sentenced to 235 months, or more than 19.5 years in federal prison.

“Travis Warthen is a repeat armed drug trafficker who put the community at additional risk when he dangerously attempted to outrun law enforcement at high speeds, which he’s done before,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office and our law enforcement partners are focused on combatting dangerous armed drug trafficking organizations, which heighten violent crime in our communities.”

The following codefendants have been sentenced to prison, according to USDOJ:

  • Heather Marie Breland, 40, of Atlanta, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison on Aug. 14. Breland previously pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting others to possess with intent to distribute more than fifty grams of methamphetamine on Oct. 5, 2023;
  • Randall Heath, 64, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 100 months in prison on Aug. 13. Heath previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Oct. 5, 2023;
  • Raiford Reeves aka “RH,” 44, of Warner Robins, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 210 months in prison on May 15. Reeves previously pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine on March 29, 2023;
  • Jeremiah Kaleta, 47, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve 77 months in prison on July 23. Kaleta previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Oct. 3, 2023;
  • Lucretia Snellgrove, 52, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison on Jan. 24. Snellgrove previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on July 12, 2023;
  • Kendall Howard, 32, of Centerville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison on Jan. 24. Howard previously pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to unlawfully conspire to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on July 12, 2023;
  • Luis Acosta, 36, of Centerville, was sentenced to time served on Jan. 24. Acosta previously pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to unlawfully conspire to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on June 16, 2023; and
  • Kenneth Maddox, 32, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve four years of probation on Oct. 16. Maddox previously pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to unlawfully conspire to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on June 15, 2023.

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