COLUMBUS, Georgia — Two men this week pleaded guilty to separate counts of Project Safe Neighborhoods in the Columbus area. One involved armed methamphetamine trafficking and the other involved the illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Jason Selph, 42, of Georgetown, Georgia, pleaded guilty Sept. 5 to one count of distributing methamphetamine. Selph faces a minimum of five years in prison, up to a maximum of 40 years, followed by a minimum of four years of supervised parole and a $5,000,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for January 23, 2024.
Corneilous Hixson, 27, pleaded guilty Sept. 5 to the illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Hixon faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for December 19.
US District Judge Clay Land is presiding over these cases. The defendants are not eligible for parole.
“These cases exemplify the ongoing concerted effort in the Columbus area to take guns out of the hands of criminals and convicted felons and hold them accountable,” said US Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I applaud law enforcement’s determined efforts to make our communities safer.”
According to court documents in the Selph case, the DEA, FBI and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office conducted a joint investigation into the armed distribution of methamphetamine in West Georgia. A confidential source repeatedly purchased methamphetamine from Selph at locations in Quitman County, Georgia, including at the defendant’s home in Georgetown, Georgia, from December 2021 to March 2022. Police issued a search warrant at Selph’s home on March 23, 2022 and recovered two bags containing approximately 166 grams of methamphetamine, a revolver and a rifle.
According to court documents in the Hixson case, on Aug. 25, 2022, the defendant was pulled over for a traffic violation and officers smelled burnt marijuana, prompting a search of his car. Under Hixson’s passenger seat, officers found a gun and a straw containing cocaine residue. Hixson ran from the scene but was caught and arrested after a brief pursuit. Hixson has been convicted in the Muscogee County, Georgia Supreme Court of first-degree burglary, tampering with a witness, second-degree criminal damage and felon in possession of a firearm of various felonies. It is illegal for a convicted felon to own a firearm.
These cases are being followed up at the federal, state and local levels as part of the joint Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, the core of the Department of Justice’s efforts to reduce violent crime. PSN is an evidence-based program that has been shown to be effective in reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a wide range of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses its enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and works with local prevention and rehabilitation programs to permanently reduce crime.
The Selph case was investigated by the DEA, the FBI, and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office.
The Hixson case was investigated by ATF and the Columbus Police Department.
Assistant US Attorney Crawford Seals is prosecuting these cases for the government.
