ATLANTA — A Georgia man who was arrested after a meth-soaked rug shipped to him was intercepted at Atlanta's airport has pleaded guilty to drug distribution and faces a max sentence of life in prison.
According to the U.S. Attorney in Macon, 42-year-old Chad Williamson of rural Ben Hill County will be sentenced within 90 days. His minimum is at least 10 years in prison, and the maximum sentence could include a $10 million fine.
Williamson, the U.S. Attorney said, was arrested in March 2021 after the package addressed to him was intercepted at Atlanta's airport. The shipment contained the meth-soaked rug and crystal meth in packages amounting to nearly two kilograms, federal prosecutors said.
"The packages were shipped from Naucalpan de Juarez, Mexico, and marked as religious image and/or Bible gift; one of the boxes contained a methamphetamine-soaked rug, which can be chemically extracted for use. There was also more than 200 grams of crystal methamphetamine in the packages," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
When DEA agents went to Williamson's home, federal prosecutors said he had removed the SIM card from his phone to try and hide his data. He then failed a drug test, was arrested and, when the SIM card was found, it "showed a number of messages he had exchanged with the source of supply, saved in his phone as 'Costa Chris.'"
"The messages revealed an on-going relationship between the two regarding illicit controlled substance deliveries requiring tracking and other drug deals. In all, a total of 1926.2 grams of methamphetamine was present in the packages, 459.2 grams of which was determined to be 98% pure," the DOJ said.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary said Williamson was "part of a larger international network using any means necessary to smuggle methamphetamine into Southwest Georgia.
"Thankfully, federal agents intercepted this deadly drug before it could hit the streets," Leary said. "Law enforcement at every level is working to hold high-volume drug smugglers accountable for their activities, which gravely harm our communities by feeding addiction.”
