Drug cartel courier sentenced to 45 years in Cherokee County
James Aaron Aldred IV
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. - Cherokee County District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway has announced that James Aaron Aldred IV, 36, of Canton, has been sentenced to 45 years in prison after pleading guilty to manufacturing, trafficking, and selling methamphetamine.
Aldred entered a negotiated guilty plea on Aug. 17, admitting to all three charges. His sentence includes 25 years to be served in prison, followed by probation for the remaining period. The case concluded earlier this month with the guilty plea of a co-defendant who received a sentence for lesser charges.
The charges stemmed from an investigation initiated in January 2023 by the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad (CMANS). The investigation revealed a multi-state drug trafficking organization involving individuals traveling from Tennessee to Cherokee Count to acquire significant quantities of methamphetamine for distribution to northern Tennessee and southern Virginia. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) identified Aldred as the Cherokee County drug courier responsible for handling the methamphetamine before transport.
CMANS, acting on DEA intelligence, closely monitored Aldred, observing large drug transactions in a Kroger parking lot on Marietta Highway in Canton. Undercover agents also conducted a controlled narcotics transaction, purchasing methamphetamine directly from Aldred.
On April 19, CMANS executed a search warrant at Aldred's residence, where nearly 8 pounds of methamphetamine were discovered in multiple Ziploc bags in a bathroom shower and bedroom. Additionally, a methamphetamine conversion lab was found upstairs, containing four pitchers filled with nearly 10 pounds of liquid methamphetamine in the process of being converted into a solid substance for sale.
The investigation revealed Aldred's affiliation with a drug cartel, working under the direction of a federal inmate incarcerated for methamphetamine distribution. Digital evidence confirmed Aldred's involvement in handling 12-25 kilos of methamphetamine at a time.
Superior Judge Shannon Wallace imposed the negotiated sentence of 45 years, with the first 25 years to be served in prison and the remaining on probation. Aldred is also required to complete 200 hours of community service and pay court costs and fines totaling $1,850,055.
District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway commended the efforts of CMANS and the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office, stating, "CMANS did a phenomenal job in investigating this case and bringing this defendant to justice. With drug trafficking organizations now in communities across the country, it is important that we remain vigilant and work together to dismantle these cartels."