Two women are facing up to 20 years in prison after being caught with more than 50 pounds of methamphetamine during a Georgia traffic stop in 2019, according to the acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
Tiffany Shavonne Crawford, 42, of Canton, pleaded guilty Wednesday to possession with intent to distribute meth, while her co-defendant, 23-year-old Ariana Chentale Matthews of Troy, Michigan, pleaded guilty Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary wrote in a news release.
According to authorities, Crawford was pulled over on I-75 on Dec. 9, 2019, when a Butts County deputy spotted her rapidly changing lanes. Matthews was a passenger in the Chevrolet Camaro.
When the deputy approached the car, Crawford’s hands were seen “shaking” as she fumbled around for a cigarette, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported. Both women were described as in “fight or flight” mode and were visibly afraid, according to an incident report.
The deputy said he smelled marijuana from inside the car, and when he inquired about it, Matthews admitted she had drugs and pulled out a small amount of marijuana from her pants, Leary said.
A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted, which led to large quantities of meth being found inside multiple vacuum-sealed bags in a suitcase in the backseat, authorities said. The deputy discovered more bags of meth inside another suitcase in the trunk, the release said.
In total, 23 packages of methamphetamine were found, containing “23,077 grams of 98% pure d-methamphetamine hydrochloride,” Leary said.
Matthews told the deputy it was at least the third time she had acquired drugs in California and flew to Florida with them. Crawford or another person would then pick her up from the airport and drop her off at Atlantic Station, where she would get paid for moving the drugs, according to authorities.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 2. Their imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $1 million.
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