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Final suspects in GA drug trafficking investigation ‘Operation: Ghost Busted’ sentenced

U.S. Department of Justice (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

BRUNSWICK, Ga. — The last of 76 defendants in what’s believed to be the largest drug trafficking prosecution in the history of the Southern District of Georgia are going to prison, wrapping up more than 2 years of court proceedings.

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USA v. Alvarez et al., also known as “Operation: Ghost Busted,” was conducted with the cooperation of several law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, GBI, and those in Glynn, Camden, Pierce and Ware Counties.

Read: ‘Operation Ghost Busted:’ prolific supplier from Jacksonville sentenced to federal prison

The Department of Justice announced Friday that the final two convicted men have been sentenced.

Brunswick man, 36-year-old Blake Screen, was sentenced to 100 months in prison. He was convicted at trial five months ago for charges including conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

David Young, also know as “Khaos,” was sentenced to 235 months in prison after pleading guilty to his charges.

Young was a fugitive for more than a year until he was identified through his extensive gang-related facial tattoos and taken into custody in March 2024. He was discovered in Mexico after being featured on “America’s Most Wanted.”

The judge has ordered both men to serve three years of supervised release once they complete their prison terms.

“Altogether as adults, the 76 defendants in Operation Ghost Busted have been convicted of more than 250 felonies – and more egregiously, this investigation linked their drug trafficking operation to multiple deaths from dozens of overdoses,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons. “Our community is demonstrably safer with these drug distributors off the streets, and we applaud our law enforcement partners for the outstanding investigative work to put these defendants behind bars and bring this case to a successful conclusion.”

The 76 defendants, indicted in December 2022, were involved in the conspiracy coordinated by members of the Ghost Face Gangsters and other affiliated criminal street gangs. Those include the Aryan Brotherhood, Bloods, and Gangster disciples, according to the DOJ.

Read: 3 dozen people, many of them already in prison, accused in South GA drug trafficking operation

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Kiley Miller, Action News Jax

Kiley Miller is a Content Creator/Coordinator for Action News Jax.

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