Richmond County man sentenced to nearly 15 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and gun possession

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – A Richmond County man has been sentenced to nearly 15 years in federal prison after being convicted of drug trafficking and gun possession.

Kelvin Laron Howard, 68, of Augusta, was convicted by a U.S. District Court jury in December 2023 after an investigation by the Richmond County Sheriff's Office identified Howard as a drug distributor. heroin in the Augusta area.

Authorities say during a search of Howard's apartment, investigators said they found enough heroin for more than 700 individual doses, along with scales and packaging materials, nearly $1,000 in cash and a loaded semi-automatic pistol.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Georgia, Howard was sentenced to 175 months in prison and convicted of possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and Howard was fined $2,500 and ordered to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says this case was investigated by the Richmond County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives .