Georgia man who fled Adair County traffic stop sentenced

COUNCIL BLUFFS – A Georgia man was sentenced Tuesday to 300 months in federal prison for possessing distribution quantities of meth, fentanyl and heroin and a firearm.

According to public court documents, Taft Cornelius Burtton, 32, fled from law enforcement who were attempting to traffic stop his car on April 20, 2023, in Adair County. Burtton drove over 112 mph on Interstate 80, exited and re-entered the interstate and made a U-turn in the median. Law enforcement disabled Burtton’s vehicle and he fled on foot and was not apprehended. Inside Burtton’s vehicle 884 grams of methamphetamine and more than $42,000 in drug proceeds were found.

On Dec. 7, 2023, law enforcement searched Burtton’s Des Moines residence and found more than 50 grams of fentanyl, 150 grams of heroin, 150 grams of cocaine, 50 grams of crack, 300 grams of marijuana and a loaded Ruger pistol. Burtton is prohibited from possessing firearms because he is a felon, including a 2016 conviction in the Illinois Circuit Court for Cook County for delivery of cocaine at a public high school.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Burtton will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Adair Police Department, Des Moines Police Department, Dallas County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration.