U.S. Attorney Edward J. Tarver on Monday announced the completion of a joint federal and state anti-gang/violent crime initiative dubbed “Operation Ruffian,” which targeted offenders in Savannah’s Cuyler-Brownville and Carver Heights neighborhoods.
The investigation was spearheaded by the Savannah Area Regional Gun Enforcement Task Force, which was jointly led by the ATF and the Savannah-Chatham police department, said Katy Eargle with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Georgia.
Forty individuals were targeted for prosecution, Eargle said, and 23 are being prosecuted by the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the following 17 individuals were convicted and sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia:
• Marco O. Washington, 34, of Savannah was convicted of drug trafficking. Washington was sentenced on March 22 to 60 months imprisonment.
• Willie L. Smith, 30, of Savannah was convicted of drug trafficking and for possessing a firearm as a felon. Smith was sentenced on April 11 to 72 months imprisonment.
• Edward D. Singleton, 31, of Savannah was convicted of drug trafficking. Singleton was sentenced on May 13 to 151 months imprisonment.
• Michael P. Griffin, 23, of Savannah was convicted of two federal firearm offenses. Griffin was sentenced on July 24 to 154 months imprisonment.
• Travis L. Young, 19, of Savannah was convicted of two separate federal firearm offenses. Young was sentenced on July 25 to 180 months imprisonment.
• Cedric Reynolds, 24, of Savannah for possessing a firearm as a prohibited person. Reynolds was sentenced on June 21 to 188 months imprisonment.
• Samuel A. Graham, 36, of Savannah was convicted of drug trafficking. Graham was sentenced on Oct. 12, 2011, to 151 months imprisonment.
• Antwan L. Cross, 35, of Savannah was convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Cross was sentenced on July 27, 2011, to 60 months imprisonment.
• Brian R. Fallon Jr., 25, of Savannah was convicted of possessing an unregistered firearm. Fallon was sentenced on Nov. 18, 2011, to 20 months imprisonment.
• Johnny J. Early, 34, of Savannah was convicted of drug trafficking and for possessing a firearm as a felon. Early was sentenced on May 9, 2012, to 50 months imprisonment.
• Kewan G. Roberson, 23, of Savannah was convicted of drug trafficking and for possessing a firearm as a felon. Roberson was sentenced on May 23, 2012, to 49 months imprisonment.
• Randy M. Lewis, 25, of Savannah was convicted of drug trafficking and for possessing a firearm as a felon. Lewis was sentenced on May 7, 2012, to 54 months imprisonment.
• Leearnell J. White, Jr., a.k.a. “Scrootney,” 31, of Savannah was convicted of drug trafficking. White was sentenced on Nov. 7, 2012, to 48 months imprisonment.
• Edward B. Cone, 33, of Savannah was convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon. Cone was sentenced on Oct. 17, 2012, to 66 months imprisonment.
• Linwood A. Brown, 53, of Savannah was convicted of drug trafficking. Brown was sentenced on Nov. 28, 2012, to 114 months imprisonment.
• Eric L. McPherson, 41, of Savannah was convicted of drug trafficking. McPherson was sentenced on Oct. 31, 2012, to 160 months imprisonment.
• Dominique A. Bostic, 19, of Savannah was convicted of drug trafficking and a related firearm offense. Bostic was sentenced on Oct. 12, 2011, to 151 months imprisonment.
Eargle said the people charged in the course of the operation were responsible for distributing cocaine and other street drugs valued at more than $188,000. During the operation, investigators executed 14 search warrants and recovered 43 firearms, including 11 stolen firearms, which were used in the commission of crimes, Eargle said.
Agencies that took part in Operation Ruffian included metro police, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, the FBI and the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office.