Major Crackdown on Illegal Immigration in Northeast Georgia
A significant multi-agency operation in a remote forest area of northeast Georgia has led to the arrest of 25 illegal immigrants, some of whom are felons and suspected cartel members. This multi-day initiative aimed to uncover drugs and locate fugitives hiding in secluded woods, and it took place from May 1 to May 6.
Named Operation Southern Forest Trident, this effort involved collaboration among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies across Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The U.S. Forest Service’s Law Enforcement and Investigation Division spearheaded the operation.
In Stephens County, authorities established checkpoints and intensively patrolled the less-traveled roads around forest management areas to target fugitives, drug traffickers, and undocumented individuals.
This large-scale operation brought together various law enforcement teams, including those from the U.S. Forest Service, the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI’s North Georgia Felon Task Force, among others.
DHS officials indicated that 25 illegal immigrants were apprehended in Stevens County, 14 of whom had prior felony convictions. Notably, one individual was identified as a cartel associate.
One intense moment unfolded when two suspects attempted to evade capture by fleeing into the woods near a roadblock on Highway 365. As a result, law enforcement mobilized an extensive investigation involving several agencies and K-9 units.
Later on, officers arrested one of the fleeing suspects, a 31-year-old named Minton Carato, who is wanted in the Atlanta metropolitan area and was found to be in the U.S. illegally. The second individual remains at large.
During the operation, authorities also conducted traffic stops that led to multiple drug-related arrests, including charges for possession of methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and oxycodone.
Several individuals, including Victor Pena, 42, and Kristen Sloan, 33, were among those arrested after officers discovered meth and paraphernalia during a traffic stop. Other arrests were made, including Dakoda Ponder, 29, who was charged with DUI after pills containing suspected cocaine and oxycodone were found during a stop.
By the operation’s conclusion, numerous federal and state citations had been issued for a range of offenses, including drug violations and traffic infractions.
Stephens County Sheriff Rusty Fulbright commended the collaborative effort and noted that remote woodland areas can serve as hotspots for crime if not monitored effectively. He emphasized the necessity of ongoing crime prevention measures in rural northeast Georgia.
“We are proud to work with our federal and state partners to curb the flow of illegal drugs and other crimes in Stevens County,” Fulbright stated, expressing the goal of creating a safer community.
The U.S. Forest Service and DHS have been approached for further comment on the operation.
