https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/04/23/convicted-murderer-sentenced-running-atlanta-drug-money-laundering-ring-prison/

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — A man serving a life sentence in state prison for murder will be moved to federal prison after agents discovered he was running an Atlanta drug and money laundering ring from custody.

Jarvis Matthews, 47, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison on Tuesday. Last year, he was found guilty of several charges, including conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl.

Matthews was already serving sentences of life with possible parole for murder after fatal shootings in 2001 and 2002 in Atlanta. But from Calhoun State Prison, he used contraband cell phones to direct people — including his fiancée, girlfriends, nephew and two adult sons — to distribute drugs and collect money in the Cleveland Avenue neighborhood on his behalf, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

In 2022, FBI agents found a social media account Matthews used for drug deals and bought methamphetamine from his son. Then they tapped Matthews’ phone and surveilled one of the drug houses, arresting customers that way.

Investigators believe Matthews distributed hundreds of kilograms of drugs and laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars, including for drug suppliers in California and Colombia.

Five other people have also been convicted of drug charges and sentenced in connection with the case.

“Georgia and the rest of the country is safer now that Jarvis Matthews will be locked away in federal prison, unable to run his vast drug and money laundering operation,” FBI Atlanta special agent in charge Marlo Graham said. “FBI Atlanta will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure that career criminals like Matthews and those who conspire with them are brought to justice.”