AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Three men from the CSRA are headed to federal prison in separate cases involving guns and drugs.
Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of Georgia say the sentences target repeat offenders tied to narcotics and illegal firearms in Augusta, Thomson and Evans.
The cases:
- Kyle Ashley Edmunds, 44, of Augusta, was sentenced to 96 months in prison and fined $2,500, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Court documents say investigators initially began looking at Edmunds in April 2025 for suspected illegal firearms possession despite prior felony convictions, and later determined he was actively selling illegal narcotics, including methamphetamine and fentanyl.
- Keith L. Polite, 41, of Thomson, was sentenced to 57 months in prison and fined $2,000, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Prosecutors say Polite was found with a Sterling Arms .25-caliber pistol and a DPMS A-15 .223-caliber rifle in December 2024. Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.
- Hunter Tucker Baxley, 32, of Evans, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and fined $10,000, followed by three years of supervised release, also for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court records, Columbia County deputies encountered Baxley in August 2025 and found him with a Fabrique Nationale 509 Tactical 9mm pistol. He was barred from having any guns or ammunition because of prior felony convictions.
U.S. Attorney Margaret E. “Meg” Heap said the cases reflect ongoing efforts to reduce violent crime and drug trafficking in local communities…