Ryan K. Buchanan U.S. Attorney | US Attorney's office Northern District of Georgia
Oscar Waters, a resident of Roanoke, Virginia, has admitted guilt in a case involving the trafficking of large quantities of illegal drugs, including fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, through Georgia. His co-defendant, Keisha Jackson-Murchison from Springfield, Massachusetts, has also pleaded guilty to concealing a felony.
“Fentanyl and heroin pose extraordinary dangers to public safety and have destroyed countless lives,” stated U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. He emphasized that those who profit from distributing these harmful substances will face justice due to the combined efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta covering Georgia and Alabama, remarked on the importance of their mission: “Stopping traffickers who attempt to bring their poison into our communities is one of the most impactful missions we undertake.” He affirmed HSI's commitment to working with partners to identify and prosecute individuals involved with these illicit drugs.
Court records indicate that on September 18, 2023, a police officer stopped a vehicle for speeding on Interstate 85 in Grantville, Georgia. Keisha Jackson-Murchison was driving while Oscar Dominick Waters was a passenger. During an initial search of the vehicle, officers found bags containing marijuana. As they attempted to detain Waters for this discovery, Jackson-Murchison fled with additional bags across traffic into nearby woods.
Authorities later located her with assistance from Coweta County Sheriff’s officers and a K-9 unit. The bags contained nearly three kilograms of fentanyl and its analogues, over 2.5 kilograms of powder cocaine, more than a quarter-kilogram of crack cocaine, and approximately five ounces of heroin. Investigations revealed that Waters had hired Jackson-Murchison to drive him to Alabama for drug distribution purposes.
Sentencing for both defendants is set for February 25, 2025. Oscar Dominick Waters will appear before Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten Sr., at 10:30 a.m., while Keisha Jackson-Murchison’s sentencing is scheduled for 10:00 a.m.
The investigation is led by Homeland Security Investigations with support from several law enforcement agencies including the Grantville Police Department and Coweta County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Theodore S. Hertzberg and Noah R. Schechtman are prosecuting this case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime through community collaboration and strategic enforcement priorities.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office encourages awareness about drug dangers through resources like www.justthinktwice.gov;www.operationprevention.com; and www.dea.gov/onepill.
For further details or inquiries, contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.
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