Enough Fentanyl Seized In Richmond County To Endanger Entire Population

Narcotics Investigators with the Richmond County Sheriff's Office just seized more than 1.4 pounds of fentanyl and other drugs, dismantling a huge drug-trafficking operation in the area.

On Tuesday, June 24, investigators found 45-year-old Roman Kelly at the Quality Inn in the 2100 block of Gordon Highway and arrested him on outstanding felony drug warrants.

Kelly had roughly 28 grams of methamphetamine, but a court-authorized search of his hotel room yielded quite a stash of drugs.

"To put the seizure in perspective, 664.9 grams of fentanyl equates to more than 330,000 potentially lethal doses--enough to endanger the entire population of Richmond County," said Lewis C. Blanchard, Chief of Staff at the Richmond County Sheriff's Office.

Kelly is being held without bond in the Charles B. Webster Detention Center pending further judicial proceedings.

Sheriff Eugene Brantley said this drug-trafficking operation was responsible for funneling large quantities of the three drugs into the Augusta-Richmond County area.

"The fentanyl crisis continues to take lives in our community. This single operation removed enough of the drug to cause hundreds of thousands of fatal overdoses. Every gram we take off the streets represents lives saved and families spared unimaginable grief," said Brantley.

Earlier this month, the Sheriff's Office made what it said was the biggest methamphetamine bust in the county's history.

Meth and fentanyl were seized at properties on East Hale Street, the 100 block of Tybee Court, and at an apartment complex on Marks Church Road.

Jaquez Sturgis is in custody charged with methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking.