Convicted heroin trafficker sentenced to 35 years
A Cobb County jury has convicted a Mableton man of trafficking enough heroin prosecutors say could have reached dozens of people.
Tiontae Jamon Copeland, 41, was found guilty of trafficking heroin and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony stemming from a May 2018 traffic stop, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office said.
Superior Court Judge C. LaTain Kell sentenced Copeland as a recidivist to 35 years, 10 of which he will have to serve behind bars and the rest on probation.
Cobb police conducted the traffic stop on a vehicle at the intersection of White Oak Drive and Favor Road in Marietta.
According to the DA’s office, a K-9 officer alerted on the vehicle and cops recovered a plastic bag containing more than five grams of heroin. Dash cam video showed Copeland, who was a passenger in the car, threw the bag from the car. The DA’s office also said a 9-millimeter pistol was also recovered from he car.
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“This is enough heroin to reach more than 50 people,” said Assistant District Attorney Nicola Rossi, who prosecuted the case. “This verdict sends the message that those who distribute dangerous drugs on the streets of Cobb County will be held accountable.”
Copeland, who has a prior cocaine conviction in Cobb, was also banished from the county, the DA’s office said. He was represented by Marietta attorney Ronald Hood.
About the Author
Kristal Dixon covers Cobb and DeKalb county schools for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Before joining the AJC, Dixon worked for Patch.com and the Cherokee Tribune in Canton.
