Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Admitted Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Nearly a Decade in Federal Prison
Liberty County defendant previously convicted of drug felonies
SAVANNAH, GA: A Liberty County drug trafficker has been sentenced to nearly a decade in federal prison.
Rae Winn-Young, 39, of Hinesville, Ga., was sentenced to 110 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Winn-Young to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Repeat felons like Rae Winn-Young are example of the small number of criminals who commit a disproportionate number of crimes in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Our office is committed to identifying these offenders and holding them accountable as we work to make our communities safer.”
As described in court documents and testimony, deputies from the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office in 2018 began investigating Winn-Young’s involvement in trafficking cocaine and other illegal drugs in the Hinesville area. Hinesville Police officers joined the investigation, and in a search in March 2019 of Winn-Young’s residence, investigators found large amounts of drugs, cash, and a stolen firearm. Winn-Young later was indicted on federal drug trafficking charges, and still faces state charges related to the case.
Winn-Young has multiple prior felony convictions for illegal drug possession or sale.
“This investigation and conviction would not have been possible without the hard work from our state and local partners,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “This sentence guarantees that this armed, multi-convicted felon has been removed from the streets of our community for many years to come.”
The case was investigated by the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and the Hinesville Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcela C. Mateo.
###