ATHENS, Ga. — The U.S. Department of Justice says two Georgians were convicted for being part of a drug trafficking network linked to a Mexican drug cartel.
USDOJ said the network distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine and other controlled substances throughout the Athens community.
The Homeland Security Task Force investigation, led by the FBI, resulted in the seizure of more than two dozen firearms and convictions for Josue Serda and Gregory Robinson, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
After several weeks at trial, Serda, 26, of Jefferson, Ga., was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine on premises where a person under 18 was present and one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
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Robinson, 32, of Athens, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, one count of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and one count of maintaining drug involved premises.
Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Athens office, said the defendants built a drug trafficking operation that flooded the Athens area with fentanyl, methamphetamine and other dangerous narcotics while stockpiling an alarming cache of firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI led started investigating Serda and Robinson’s criminal activities, distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine from a Mexican cartel into the Athens community in 2024.
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Serda was recorded distributing fentanyl at least four times in September and October 2024.
Thirteen agencies executed search warrants in the case during the early morning hours of Aug. 26, 2025, including at Serda’s home in Jefferson.
Serda, a convicted felon with a history of threatening law enforcement officers, refused to exit his home.
USDOJ said Serda was previously convicted on Dec. 18, 2015 in the Superior Court of Jackson County, Ga., for terroristic threats, where he threatened a police officer, stating he would contact “his cartel” to come to the officer’s house to “cut [his] family up.”
More recently, Serda was arrested on June 20, 2025, by the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office after he and his girlfriend were found passed out in his vehicle with narcotics paraphernalia in plain view and a Glock 9mm pistol in the glovebox.
Serda’s comments to the deputy during that incident were captured on video: “You better look up my record bro, I beat police up bro. I been in prison…I ain’t scared of no police bro.”
During the attempt to arrest Serda on Aug. 26, 2025, his girlfriend told FBI SWAT that Serda was informing the cartel in Mexico that the FBI was at his residence.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Serda made an outgoing WhatsApp call to his co-defendant and drug supplier in Mexico, Alicio Yanez-Pineda aka “Cochito,” at 6:06 a.m. on the morning of his arrest.
Serda informed Mr. Yanez-Pineda that the FBI was at his home and that the truck scheduled to deliver narcotics there should “turn around.”
When he was successfully taken into custody, his residence was searched and he was found to be in possession of numerous weapons, including armor piercing ammunition.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement seized:
- 26 firearms
- 26 kilograms of cocaine worth an estimated $780,000
- 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl worth an estimate $60,000
- Approximately 500 grams of methamphetamine
- 5.14 ounces of crack cocaine
- 2.4 pounds of marijuana
- 128 controlled pharmaceuticals
- $63,532 in cash
Another 14 defendants face federal charges in the case, according to USAO.
Both Serda and Robinson face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
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