10 Columbus defendants sentenced to total of 108 years in Operation Sweet Silence
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday 10 defendants have been sentenced as a result of an operation they said led to the removal of firearms, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana in Columbus.
The sentences are the result of Operation Sweet Silence, an investigation that spanned multiple states, involved state and federal agencies, and resulted in the arrests of 31 people in Columbus and Alabama.
More than $279 million in drugs was seized in the operation, including:
- 496 pounds of methamphetamine, valued at $22.45 million
- 126.95 pounds of cocaine, valued at $5.75 million
- 15.62 pounds of fentanyl, valued at about $707,273
- 1.3 kilos of heroin, valued at about $130,859
- 5.9 pounds of GHB, valued at $267,152
- 755.8 grams of mushrooms, valued at $15,116.
Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman said 55,248 pounds of marijuana (valued at over $250 million) was seized in California out of an illegal growing area.
“These ten defendants were key players in an armed drug trafficking organization that poisoned our community with dangerous substances like methamphetamine and cocaine,” Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Georgia Peter Elliss said in the news release.
“By working together through our law enforcement partnerships and the federal justice system, we have ensured that Tommy Mullins will be out of business for a long time,” Countryman said in the news release.
The DOJ said court documents and statements show Tommy Mullins Jr. — part of the Zohannon criminal street gang — led the drug organization.
“Over the course of the conspiracy, Mullins and the drug trafficking organization distributed vast amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana,” the DOJ said.
The defendants, all of Columbus, were sentenced to the following:
- Tommie Mullins, Jr., aka “TJ,” aka “Bo,” aka “Mini,” 31, was sentenced to 20 years in prison Feb. 10, 2026.
- Trenton Clemons, 48, was sentenced to 25 years on Oct. 7, 2025.
- Anthony Champion, 46, was sentenced to seven years and three months on Aug. 6, 2025.
- Corey Turner, aka “Lito Red,” 33, was sentenced to 20 years on Oct. 7, 2025.
- Adrian Palmer, aka “AP,” 25, was sentenced to 14 years on Oct. 7, 2025.
- Trenton Thomas, aka “Bubble,” 25, was sentenced to 11 years and three months on Oct. 7, 2025.
- Javonta Paden, 25, was sentenced to five years and 11 months on Aug. 6, 2025
- Christopher Hill, 36, was sentenced to two years on Dec. 17, 2025
- Adrian Pleasants, 29, was sentenced to one year and eight months on Aug. 6, 2025
- Darius Jenkins, 24, was sentenced to one year and six months on Oct. 7, 2025.
The DOJ said the federal investigation included court authorized wiretaps of Mullins’ and other defendants’ phones.
“Physical surveillance and other investigative techniques confirmed that Mullins, Champion, Turner, Palmer, Hill, Thomas and others all dealt drugs out of Mullins’ Cove Circle residence,” the DOJ said.
The case was investigated by the FBI, DEA and Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Russell County Sheriff’s Office, Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, Sacramento, California, Sheriff’s Office and the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.
Deputy Criminal Chief Veronica Hansis for the Middle District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Matthew Mattis of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.