A multi-agency investigation has led to the sentencing of Michael Ferrell Price, 68, of Ball Ground, Georgia, on drug and weapons charges. Price, also known as “Cheese,” was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison—just over seven years—after pleading guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm by an illegal drug user.
The Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad (CMANS) began investigating Price in September 2024 after he reportedly sold methamphetamine from his mother’s home.
The following month, authorities carried out a search warrant and discovered a bounty of illegal stuff. Agents discovered more than three ounces of pure crystal methamphetamine in a backwoods shed. The shed also included a dangerous collection of over 150 firearms, including two machine guns, a short-barreled rifle, and unlicensed silencers.
Police discovered an illicit moonshine still in a neighboring structure. According to court filings, Price had a long history of methamphetamine usage, which made it illegal for him to own weapons or explosives under federal law.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg underscored Price’s threat to the town, adding, “Price posed a clear danger to the community by selling methamphetamine and distilling moonshine while maintaining an illegal stash of explosive devices and more than 150 firearms.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and CMANS worked together on the case, with the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office providing support. Major Walter Jones, Director of Drug Enforcement at CMANS, emphasized the serious consequences of such conduct. “Stockpiling weapons while trafficking drugs is a recipe for tragedy,” he told reporters.
Price will also serve four years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
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