Four people now have been indicted in on federal charges of trafficking in heroin in Habersham and White counties.
U.S. Attorney John Horn made the announcement Friday that Michelle Dawn Dorsey of Demorest, Nigel Alan Waddell, and Tyler Josiah Matthews have been arraigned on federal charges of trafficking in heroin. A fourth defendant, Derrik Omar Frazier, was arraigned on July 20.
“The indictment brought against these defendants is the result of a two-year, joint federal-state investigation by law enforcement to take down a significant heroin distribution network operating between communities in North Georgia and the Atlanta area,” Horn said in a statement. “Heroin and fentanyl are poisoning our communities, and the overdoses and deaths are climbing in truly alarming numbers. Our office, along with state and local law enforcement agencies, are taking a strong stance against those who deal heroin and opiates.”
Dorsey, Waddell, Matthews and Frazier allegedly conspired to distribute heroin in North Georgia, according to Horn and court documents.
Dorsey and Waddell sold quantities of heroin in White and Habersham counties, according to Horn. They obtained the heroin primarily from Frazier. Matthews worked for Dorsey and was responsible for transporting heroin from Frazier’s residence in Stone Mountain to Dorsey’s residence in Demorest.
Two heroin users allegedly overdosed on heroin they obtained from Dorsey, but they were revived after being administered Naloxone by emergency medical personnel in White County in one instance and Habersham County in the other, according to Horn’s office. Naloxone is used to treat narcotic overdoses as it can reverse the effects of an overdose in most cases. Both overdose victims likely would have died, but for the lifesaving measures taken by medical professionals.
The overdose victims in this case were transported to medical facilities by friends who were also in possession of heroin, but Georgia’s 911 Medical Amnesty Law protects individuals from arrest, prosecution, and conviction of certain drug offenses if the evidence of their drug crime results from the individuals seeking medical assistance for someone thought to be suffering from a drug overdose.
According to Horn’s office, the defendants named in this indictment were not present at the time of the overdoses, nor did they seek medical assistance for the victims.
In keeping with the spirit of Georgia’s 911 Medical Amnesty Law, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO) want the public to trust that those seeking to provide aid to overdose victims will not be targeted for investigation and/or prosecution, according to Horn.
On July 20, in conjunction with Frazier’s arrest at his residence in Stone Mountain, agents with the ARDEO and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation West Metro Regional Drug Enforcement Office executed a search warrant. The agents seized one ounce of heroin, one ounce of methamphetamine, one ounce of cocaine, and a cache of firearms.
