Late last week, Swainsboro City Councilperson Quantavius Foster announced publicly that he had received notice from the City Attorney of Swainsboro of his suspension from his position as a member of the Swainsboro City Council. As more details related to this story have become known, City Attorney Jon Levis provided the following statement: The City of Swainsboro has been recently made aware of the felony guilty plea of Councilperson Quatavious Foster in the United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia. In compliance with O.C.G.A. 45-5-6.1, Councilperson Foster has been immediately and without further action suspended from office. The City of Swainsboro is currently working in accordance with O.C.G.A.45-5-6.1(b) for the appointment of a replacement officer until the resolution of matters affecting the suspension of Foster is concluded. The City of Swainsboro has no further comment at this time.
Foster’s admission of guilt was made in U.S. District Court in Atlanta on April 30, 2024, to a charge of conspiracy to possess and intent to distribute a controlled substance involving at least 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Foster entered the guilty plea before Judge Amy Totenberg and was ordered to appear in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia for sentencing on August 28, 2024. In charges by the U.S. Attorney, Foster’s original involvement that led to the guilty plea began on or about January 9, 2018, and continued through on or about April 14, 2019. Information taken from Federal Case #1:19 CR-308 states that Foster was arrested in Richmond County on August 30, 2018, based on information obtained by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Following that arrest, documents state that Foster filed a motion for suppression of evidence, but the motion was denied.
Foster had previously been employed at Jenkins Correctional Facility. He was elected to a post of the Swainsboro City Council in November of 2023. Officials at City Hall are now in the process of determining the legal procedure called for in the City Charter. The Forest-Blade asked for comments from the Mayor and City Administrator but have not had replies as of press time.
