Acworth man pleads guilty to meth trafficking day before trial
ACWORTH, Ga. - Dustin Shane Garrett, 32, of Acworth, pleaded guilty to trafficking methamphetamine and fleeing law enforcement just before his trial was set to begin on Sept. 30, according to the Office of the District Attorney for the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit.
Garrett’s plea was accepted by Superior Court Judge Jennifer Davis, who sentenced him to 25 years in prison and imposed a $1 million fine. Garrett was sentenced as a repeat offender under Georgia law.
The charges stem from a January 2022 investigation by the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad (CMANS), which was tracking suspected drug activity at a Shell gas station on Highway 92 in Acworth. After leaving the gas station, Garrett was pursued by a Cherokee Sheriff’s Office deputy for failing to maintain his lane. Instead of stopping, Garrett led officers on a high-speed chase, weaving through traffic and nearly causing several accidents. The chase spanned multiple roads in Cherokee and Bartow counties before Garrett abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot.
Residents spotted Garrett running through yards and knocking on doors, offering money to hide him from law enforcement. Witnesses also saw him discard a black duffle bag, which authorities later recovered, along with a blue backpack. The bags contained over a kilogram of methamphetamine, marijuana, digital scales, and other drug-related items.
Garrett was arrested the next day at a gas station in Cartersville, where he was found with $11,162 in cash and the keys to the vehicle he had abandoned.
District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway emphasized the strength of the case, noting that Garrett’s decision to plead guilty on the eve of trial demonstrated the overwhelming evidence against him. The case was investigated by CMANS and the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from several other law enforcement agencies.