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Alleged local drug dealer is convicted in federal court

Eddie Lee Perry, aged 44, of Cairo, Georgia; Joseph Davenport, aged 52, of Thomasville, Georgia; and Chad Ragin, aged 42, of Opalocka, Florida were convicted on Monday in United States District Court of all counts of an indictment charging them with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, possession of cocaine and crack cocaine with intent to distribute (Davenport), use of a telephone in furtherance of a drug crime (Perry and Davenport), conspiracy to falsify records in a Federal investigation (Ragin), and falsifying records in a Federal investigation (Ragin).
The guilty verdict is the result of a nine-day jury trial held in Albany before the Honorable W. Louis Sands, Senior United States District Court Judge.
Evidence presented at trial showed that during 2013, the three defendants were part of a criminal organization that distributed cocaine and crack cocaine in Cairo, Georgia. Ragin acted as a courier of drugs and money between Perry and Roger Ross, of the Miami, Florida area. Davenport “cooked” the powder cocaine converting it into crack cocaine. The organization was responsible for trafficking/distributing kilogram quantities of cocaine.
Perry faces a mandatory minimum sentence of twenty years imprisonment. Davenport will receive a mandatory life sentence. Ragin is facing ten years to life imprisonment on Count 19 and twenty years imprisonment each on Counts 20 and 21. Sentencing will take place in about 60 days following a presentence investigation.
U.S. Attorney Michael Moore said, “Through outstanding cooperation between local, state and federal agencies, we have dismantled another large-scale drug distribution organization. We will continue to use every tool available to take the drugs off the streets and put the dealers in the jails.”
“Residents of Cairo should not have to live with drug dealers operating in their community,” stated Daniel R. Salter, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Atlanta Field Division, “and these convictions will help protect the citizens of Cairo and the surrounding area. DEA will continue to work closely with our partners to protect our communities from the scourge of dangerous drugs.”
The case was investigated by the the Grady County Sheriff s Office, the Cairo Police Department, Thomas County Vice/Narcotics Squad, the Thomasville Police Department, the Pelham Police Department, the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles District Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Leah E. McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.

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