10 Pounds Of Heroin Found In Gwinnett Man's Hummer

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — A Gwinnett County man who ran across Interstate 85 to try to flee police has been found guilty of possessing a whopping 10 pounds of heroin.

Gregory Moore was convicted by a Gwinnett County jury this week on charges of heroin trafficking and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Judge Timothy Hamil sentenced Moore to 25 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

On June 24, 2015, U.S. Department of Homeland Security agents were investigation a drug trafficking operation in Lawrenceville. While conducting surveillance, agents saw a suspect in their investigation get into a black Hummer H3 in the parking lot of a Walmart off of Lawrenceville Highway.

After that suspect got out of the vehicle, agents requested the assistance of the Georgia State Patrol to conduct a traffic stop. The Hummer pulled onto Interstate 85 southbound and was stopped near Norcross.

It was being driven by Moore. After a drug detection dog suggested the presence of narcotics in the Hummer, Moore was placed in handcuffs outside the vehicle.

A search revealed a 9-mm. handgun under the driver's seat and a locked suitcase in the back. Moore told troopers the suitcase belonged to his wife and he didn't have a key for it.

When troopers using bolt cutters cut the lock on the suitcase, Moore, still handcuffed, ran across all I-85 southbound lanes, across the median and across all of the highway's northbound lanes.

Somehow, he avoided being hit despite heavy oncoming traffic estimated to be moving between 65-75 m.p.h. He ran down an embankment, but was trapped by heavy kudzu and briars, authorities said.

After he was caught, troopers opened the suitcase and found large, sealed cookie boxes inside. When they opened the boxes, they found more than 10 pounds of heroin inside.

At trial, Moore argued that he knew nothing about the heroin and said he ran from police because he was intimidated by their roadside questioning. Prosecutors, however, submitted cellphone evidence linking Moore to the suitcase.

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