LEE COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - The Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) reported Feb. 5, 2026 that they have concluded their investigations into several people charged with distributing drugs across Lee County.

The last man to be sentenced as part of this “bulk distribution operation” was Luis Jose Vanga.

LCSO said Vanga and the other two defendants in this case were given “lengthy federal prison sentences.”

U.S. District Court Judge Leslie Gardner in Albany, GA, sentenced Vanga to 300 months in federal prison starting Jan. 21, 2026.

Larry Roger Sparks and Shaun Anthony Akins were previously convicted of distributing drugs in the county in this case.

“Vanga worked alongside Larry Roger Sparks and Shaun Anthony Akins to flood our community with significant quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, destroying lives and families in the process,” the sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook. “Let these sentences serve as a warning to anyone foolish enough to consider following the same path.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), and U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia assisted LCSO in their investigations into Vanga, Sparks, and Akins.

“Given Vanga’s age and the length of his sentence, we are hopeful he will never set foot in Lee County again — and that is just fine with us,“ said LCSO. ”We encourage anyone engaged in criminal activity to stay out or get out of Lee County. They may do so voluntarily or with our assistance."

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook and X (Twitter). For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.