Operation Ghost Busted: Ga. prison guard pleads guilty in drug trafficking conspiracy case

GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. — A former Georgia prison guard faces up to 20 years in prison after she pleaded guilty as a defendant in one of the largest-ever drug trafficking indictments in the state’s history.

Desiree Briley pleaded guilty as part of the “Operation Ghost Busted” indictment. Back in January, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Attorney’s Office of Southern District of Georgia announced more than 76 people were charged.

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Officials said members of the Ghost Face Gangsters and their accomplices were involved in a drug trafficking conspiracy. The defendants are accused of distributing large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin and alprazolam across southeast Georgia.

One of the defendants included 26-year-old Desiree Briley, who worked at the Telfair State Prison. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine.

“Desiree Briley played a key role in enabling members of the Ghost Face Gangsters to operate a massive drug trafficking operation inside and outside Georgia’s prison system,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Her actions compromised the security of the facility she was sworn to protect, and threatened the safety of every person in the community where this conspiracy distributed illegal drugs.”

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Investigators said it took two years to identify the defendants trafficking drugs through Georgia counties such as Glynn, Pierce, Camden, Wayne, Treutlen, McIntosh, Toombs, Telfair, Dodge and Ware.

They said Briley worked with James NeSmith, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence at the prison where she worked.

During her hearing, it was revealed that Briley had also been training to become a canine handler for the jail at the time of her arrest. The job would have given her access to allow more contraband in the prison, according to prosecutors.

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“We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for individuals who choose to bring discredit to the Georgia Department of Corrections and pose a threat to the safety of the public and the operations of our facilities,” Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Corrections Tyrone Oliver said in a release.

“We appreciate the support of our federal partners in ensuring that justice will be served, and we are proud of our agents who were diligent in working this case to help stop the introduction of dangerous contraband into one of our facilities.”

Two other defendants have pleaded guilty in the case.

Over 70 people indicted on drug trafficking charges, one of the largest-ever indictments in Georgia

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