Sheriff’s Office tactical team arrests drug dealer in Athens

Robert Martinez Maldonado

Press release

Sheriff Botie Hillhouse’s Tactical Team hit a North Athens home at 4 a.m. Monday and arrested an armed drug dealer with methamphetamines and material commonly used to distribute the illegal drug.

Robert Martinez Maldonado, 30, of Athens, was the sole occupant when the search warrant was executed by the specialized Tactical Team and Officers from the Athens Police Department.

“We have had our eyes on this residence, suspecting it was a center for drug manufacturing and delivery,” Sheriff Hillhouse said. “Now it is shut down and out of business.”

Earlier this past weekend south of Chandler, a woman was arrested with a stolen firearm and pipes commonly used to smoke illegal drugs.

The Athens raid was conducted at a home in the 1000 block of North Pinkerton Street.

Eight other law-enforcement Officers were led by Narcotics Investigators Kenneth Slaton and Wayne Nutt and Captain Michael Shelley, who also had undergone dry fire training.

The suspect Maldonado was carrying a 9mm piston which was stolen.

He was charged with a First Degree Felony for dealing the methamphetamines, theft of a firearm, a State Jail Felony, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, a Third Degree Felony.

Cash, along with a substantial amount of meth and drug distribution paraphernalia, was seized by Hillhouse’s team.