Northeast Georgians face federal prison time for drug deals organized by inmate

Two northeast Georgia residents arrested in an investigation that stemmed from sales of drugs that federal agents said were brokered by a state prison inmate were convicted Thursday in U.S. District Court in Athens.

Brendan R. Gates, 37, of Commerce and Cindy Stamey, 49, of Danielsville were each convicted of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute during a three-day trial, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Gates was also convicted of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

The pair will be sentenced later by District Court Judge C. Ashley Royal. Each faces a possible maximum sentence of life in prison.

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Several others were convicted in the drug operation that was centered in Athens and connected to an inmate serving time in the Wheeler Correctional Institute in Alamo, Georgia. The inmate was identified as Malcody “Yes Sir Cody” Dinges, 43. He pleaded guilty earlier to the crime and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Other area co-defendants, who have yet to be sentenced are Justin Maddox, 44, of Athens; Christopher Wilson, 41, of Hull; Carrie Kasper, 31, of Athens; and Katlyn Lackey, 21, of Commerce. They all pleaded guilty to meth distribution charges.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office released a statement reporting that federal agents learned in 2018 that Dinges was conducting drug deals using a cell phone while he was in prison. Dinges would direct co-defendants where to obtain drugs in Atlanta, then bring the drugs back to Athens for distribution, agents said.

Dinges would receive a fee for brokering the deals, the agents reported.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Meth convictions leave northeast Georgians facing federal time