Media release: A Polk County man was arrested Wednesday, March 11, and now awaits federal charges after a lengthy, multiple-agency undercover drug operation revealed suspected narcotics distribution.
Arthur Lewis Borders, 47, of 1076 Potash Road, was arrested after Polk County Drug Task Force (PCDTF) agents discovered a multitude of illegal substances in his home including one pound of methamphetamine, an amount of cocaine exceeding one pound, a half pound of marijuana and 55 gallons of moonshine whiskey along with elements of a clandestine moonshine distillery. Also seized during the search were 28 firearms, several motor vehicles and an amount of U.S. currency.
Newsome said the search of Borders’ home stemmed from a successful undercover “reverse” operation in late February. Cedartown Police Chief Jamie Newsome explained that a reverse operation takes place when undercover agents attempt to sell drugs to a suspected dealer rather than purchase drugs. Newsome said Borders is accused of purchasing one kilogram of cocaine from PCDTF agents. That kilogram has an estimated street value of $33,000.
Once the transaction had been made, Newsome said law enforcement officers had enough evidence to execute a search warrant at Borders’ home, which led to his arrest on Wednesday. Newsome said Borders’ first U.S. Federal Court appearance is scheduled this morning (March 12).
Newsome also explained that due to the severity and expansiveness of the operation, drug task force agents and the law enforcement heads of the drug task force board agreed to turn the case over to federal authorities for prosecution.
“We had extensive cooperation and consideration from our District Attorney Jack Browning relating to the decision to pass the case through to federal authorities. The federal statutes are stiffer and considering the nature of this operation, we felt that was the right decision,” Newsome said. Browning echoed the same: “We worked with our task force from start to finish on this case, and applaud the outstanding work of all the law enforcement officers involved in bringing to an end Mr. Borders’ alleged lengthy and extensive drug distribution operation in Polk County,” he said.
“Undoubtedly, his arrest will have a rippling effect throughout the county and put others who deal drugs in our county on notice with a message that, if you deal in drugs, you will be found and caught. Because of the assistance of our partner federal agents in this matter, and given the extensiveness of Mr. Borders’ alleged drug operation, I carefully considered and weighed the pros and cons of prosecuting Mr. Borders under federal law versus state law,” Browning explained. “Upon doing so, I came to the conclusion that allowing Mr. Borders to be prosecuted in federal court would provide greater assurances that, if convicted, his sentence would be more appropriate for the seriousness of the crimes he has allegedly committed, as federal drug laws and sentencing tend to be much more severe than their state counterparts. This, in turn, would provide our citizens, who want nothing more than to rid our communities of drug dealers, the best opportunity to rid itself of one such person for a very long time.”
Agents with the Polk County Drug Task Force, the Cedartown Police Department K-9 Unit, and the West Metro Regional Drug Task Force participated in the investigation.
