ATLANTA – A Mexican national will spend the next 30 years in federal prison for operating clandestine methamphetamine laboratories across the Atlanta area, federal officials announced Wednesday.

What we know:

Ramiro Contreras-Sandoval, 41, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross following his conviction for running conversion labs that housed more than 135 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine hidden in paint buckets. Contreras-Sandoval, who also went by several aliases including Manuel Santiago Vazquez and “Mirin,” was also convicted of possessing firearms as an illegal alien to protect his drug trafficking operation.

The investigation began in April 2019, when law enforcement seized the methamphetamine mixture from a conversion lab in Morrow, Georgia. Contreras-Sandoval and his co-defendant, Genaro Davalos-Pulido, fled the area after a vehicle they were using to transport the drugs was stopped by police.

The pair remained at large until the fall of 2021, when agents tracked them to a neighborhood in Norcross, Georgia. During a search of a Norcross residence, agents discovered a full-scale liquid meth operation, a loaded Beretta handgun, $84,000 in cash, and a .50-caliber rifle that appeared ready for shipment to Mexico. Contreras-Sandoval was arrested nearby with approximately $12,000 in his vehicle and pockets.

What they’re saying:

“This case should send a clear message to anyone thinking about running drugs or using deadly weapons to protect their operation: the federal government will relentlessly seek justice and protect the community from drug traffickers,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.

“Operating methamphetamine labs is a reckless and dangerous crime,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This conviction underscores that DEA will aggressively pursue anyone who engages in drug trafficking activities that put lives at risk.”

What’s next:

Contreras-Sandoval’s 30-year sentence will be followed by five years of supervised release. His co-defendant, Davalos-Pulido, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in October 2024.

ATLANTA – New leadership is taking the helm at Atlanta City Hall as Council President Marci Collier Overstreet begins her term with a fresh slate of committee assignments for the new year.

Why you should care:

The appointments come at a high-stakes moment for the city’s chief policy-making board. Atlanta is preparing for a global spotlight in 2026, serving as a host city for the FIFA World Cup and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl College Football Playoff game.

What we know:

While Collier Overstreet reshuffled most of the council’s leadership, the Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee remains under the direction of District 10 Councilwoman Andrea Boone. The influential committee oversees the police and fire departments, the Law Department and the Atlanta Citizen Review Board.

The remaining committee chairs for 2026 include:

• City Utilities: District 9 Councilman Dustin Hillis will oversee solid waste, sanitation, watershed and public works.
• Community Development and Human Services: Post 2 At-Large Councilman Matt Westmoreland will preside over parks and recreation, the Atlanta Housing Authority and the Mayor’s Office of Film, Entertainment and Nightlife.
• Transportation: District 6 Councilman Alex Wan will lead the committee dealing with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, MARTA and the Atlanta Regional Commission.
• Zoning: District 8 Councilwoman Mary Norwood will handle matters related to subdivisions, zoning and sign ordinances.
• Finance/Executive: District 1 Councilman Jason Winston will oversee contract compliance, human resources, finance and procurement.
• Committee on Council: District 3 Councilman Byron Amos will chair the committee presiding over council operations, the Office of Research and Policy and the Office of the Municipal Clerk.

The new president expressed confidence that this leadership team would ensure the city’s future remains inclusive.