Fugitive Linked to Northeast Georgia Drug Ring Captured in Hall County After Multi-Agency Manhunt
HALL COUNTY, GEORGIA — A 43-year-old fugitive with alleged ties to a large-scale drug trafficking ring operating across Northeast Georgia and metro Atlanta has been arrested following a coordinated, multi-agency manhunt involving the FBI, GBI, and several local sheriff’s offices.
Fugitive Caught After Days-Long Pursuit
Authorities say Quincy Jones of Toccoa, Georgia, was taken into custody in Hall County on Friday, October 3, following a days-long search that stretched from Stephens County to DeKalb County and back north toward Gainesville.
Jones had been on the run since October 1, when law enforcement officers executed a massive drug trafficking sweep targeting the Manathan Colbert Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) in Stephens County.
Investigators say Jones, believed to be a key player in the organization, fled the scene before officers arrived with search warrants.
“Following the October 1 sweep, Jones fled Stephens County in an attempt to avoid capture,” the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. “Agents tracked his movements through Northeast Georgia into metro Atlanta before locating him in Hall County.”
Captured on I-985 in Hall County
The manhunt came to an end when Georgia State Patrol troopers stopped a vehicle on Interstate 985 southbound near Gainesville. Jones was found behind the wheel and arrested without incident.
He was booked into the Hall County Jail on multiple felony charges, including:
- Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act
- Illegal use of a communication facility
- Violation of the Georgia Street Gang and Terrorism Prevention Act
- Trafficking marijuana
- Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
- Possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony
20 Others Arrested in Drug Trafficking Sweep
Jones’s capture follows the arrest of 20 suspects across Stephens, Habersham, Banks, and DeKalb counties earlier in the week as part of the same investigation into the Colbert DTO, which authorities say was responsible for distributing large quantities of marijuana, methamphetamine, and other narcotics throughout the region.
The coordinated operation involved 19 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including:
- FBI Atlanta and Athens Safe Streets Task Forces
- GBI Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO)
- Georgia Counterdrug Task Force
- Georgia State Patrol’s Crime Suppression Unit
- Hall County and Stephens County Sheriff’s Offices
- Gainesville Police Department
- Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office
“We anticipate more arrests in connection with the Colbert DTO as this investigation continues,” the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office said.
A Major Blow to Regional Drug Operations
Law enforcement officials say the Colbert DTO had been under investigation for several months and is believed to have connections to gang networks operating across multiple Georgia counties.
Agents say they recovered narcotics, cash, and several firearms during the coordinated raids.
“This was a significant takedown for Northeast Georgia,” said one investigator. “The teamwork between local and federal agencies made it possible to locate and safely apprehend a dangerous fugitive.”
Public Urged to Report Drug Activity
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) continues to encourage the public to report any information related to ongoing drug or gang activity. Tips can be submitted anonymously by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477) or online at gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online.
Do you believe Georgia’s new anti-gang and RICO laws are helping dismantle organized drug networks across the state? Share your thoughts and join the conversation at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.
