Irvin Lamar Simpson (Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office)
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A 57-year-old Gainesville man will spend the next 40 years in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty Monday to multiple drug trafficking and firearm charges in Lawrenceville.
Lawrenceville drug trafficking plea
What we know:
Irvin Lamar Simpson, 57, pled guilty Monday to three counts of trafficking fentanyl, one count of trafficking methamphetamine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, obstruction, and possession of a drug-related object. A judge sentenced Simpson to 45 years, ordering him to serve 40 years in prison without parole.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation drug agents began surveilling Simpson in January 2023 after receiving a tip that he was selling illegal drugs. Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office deputies stopped a car Simpson entered with a backpack, where a K-9 alerted them to drugs.
Gwinnett County drug bust
The backstory:
Investigators found 35 grams of fentanyl, 98 grams of methamphetamine, and over 20 grams of cocaine worth about $4,000 inside the backpack alongside a handgun and scales. Simpson pulled away from deputies and ran into a nearby wooded area, where now-retired K-9 Cino tracked him down and held him until his arrest.
Simpson is a career drug dealer with felony convictions starting in the 1980s and was on early release from federal prison when arrested. Just six months before his Gwinnett County arrest, authorities stopped Simpson in Habersham County with a distribution amount of fentanyl.
Prosecutor drug case statement
What they're saying:
"This defendant had a chance to change with his release from federal prison," District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. "But he turned his back on that opportunity. We are going to hold accountable anyone who peddles deadly drugs in this jurisdiction."
The Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office and the GBI assisted in the apprehension and investigation. Managing Assistant District Attorney David Ian and Assistant District Attorney Brian Trepanier prosecuted the case with assistance from Investigator Yayoi Huggins and Victim Witness Advocate Trina Bradford.
Future parole eligibility options
What we don't know:
Officials have not released whether Simpson faces additional penalties or revoked release terms from his prior federal sentence or his Habersham County stop.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Office of the District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson (Gwinnett Judicial Circuit).