Jacksonville Man Involved In High Speed Chase Found Guilty Of Drug and Firearm Offenses

SAVANNAH, GA – Maurice Luclare Williams, 34, of Jacksonville, Florida, was found guilty on June 7, 2016 of possessing with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and numerous pharmaceutical drugs following a jury trial in the United States District Court. Judge William T. Moore, Jr. presided over the trial. Williams was also found guilty of possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking offense and of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Williams faces up to life in prison based on his lengthy criminal history.  A sentencing date has yet to be set.
The evidence showed that on June 13, 2015, Williams led officers of the Pooler Police Department and Georgia State Patrol on a lengthy, high speed chase through West Chatham County following his failure to pull over for a speeding violation. The vehicle was a GMC Yukon that had been stolen near Jacksonville. The pursuit was eventually joined by the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office and Bloomingdale Police Department. The chase ended in a residential neighborhood in Effingham County where the defendant was apprehended following a foot chase into a nearby wooded area. Heroin, cocaine, and the other drugs were located in a black tote bag that was dropped from the stolen GMC Yukon driven by Williams as he abandoned the vehicle.
United States Attorney Edward Tarver said, “The defendant in this case is a four-time convicted drug felon who placed members of the motoring public and the residents of a quiet neighborhood in great peril by his actions. This defendant is a persistent and unrepentant drug dealer who will now be held to account for his very serious crimes.”
The investigation was led by the DEA. A number of law enforcement agencies participated in the investigation, including the Pooler Police Department, Georgia State Patrol, Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, the GBI, the Chatham-Savannah Counter-Narcotics Team, the ATF, and the United States Marshal’s Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karl Knoche. For additional information, please contact First Assistant United States Attorney James D. Durham at (912) 201-2547.
 
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