Trooper Gentry Mattox of the Georgia State Patrol and Blackshear Police Investigator Jacob Royal recently received certificates of commendation from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for their work in helping break up an extensive drug trafficking operation spanning several south Georgia communities.
Mattox has served in law enforcement for over 28 years, including stints with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office and the Waycross and Jekyll Island posts of the GSP and with the Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT).
Royal is an investigator with the Blackshear Police Department. He has been in law enforcement for 14 years.
Mattox and Royal assisted with “Operation Crippled Business” that led to the indictment of 37 people on federal drug trafficking charges. The charges stem from a wide ranging drug trafficking operation distributing cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone and marijuana.
The operation also resulted in the seizure of 21 illegally possessed firearms and more than $17,000 in cash.
“We are deeply thankful for the invaluable support of our state and local partners in... Georgia. The success of Operation Crippled Business wouldn’t have been possible without (Mattox and Royal’s) unwavering assistance,” said Paul Brown, FBI Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We are excited to continue collaborating with them in our shared commitment to safeguarding our community from violent crime and drug trafficking.”
