CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — A suspicious call led Cherokee County deputies to uncover an alleged chop shop. Now, three people will spend years in prison.
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Justin Carl Benson, Heather Sparrow Bird, and Terry Raymond Spriggs received their sentences after pleading guilty to various drug-related charges.
The investigation began on July 14, 2023, when a suspicious activity report led deputies to a home on Lower Scott Mill Road in Canton.
Officials said when they arrived, deputies saw Bird in the bed of a 2005 Ford Ranger parked near the home of Terry Spriggs. Deputies said she was wearing a headlamp.
Cherokee authorities stated that Bird informed deputies that the truck belonged to Spriggs.
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Deputies went to Spriggs’ home to investigate further. After a brief conversation on the porch, Spriggs allowed deputies to enter the home, where drug paraphernalia was found in plain view.
The Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad (CMANS) was called in, and a search warrant led to the recovery of methamphetamine, marijuana, and other controlled substances throughout the property, including in the master bedroom and the stolen truck.
During a security sweep of the home, deputies discovered Benson hiding under a bed. Benson provided a false name to deputies, officials said.
Deputies said a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, reported stolen from Alabama, was also found at the home, along with a stolen motorcycle engine that had been put on a different motorcycle frame.
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“All three were distributing poison into our community,” said Assistant District Attorney Leland McElveen.
A Superior Court judge handed down the following sentences as negotiated:
- Benson, 29, of Canton, pled guilty on May 9, 2025, to possession of a Schedule II controlled substance (methamphetamine) with intent to distribute and giving false information to a law enforcement officer. He was sentenced as a recidivist to 10 years in prison and must serve the entire prison term without the possibility of parole.
- Heather Bird, 49, of Canton, pled guilty on Sept. 4, to trafficking methamphetamine, possession of a Schedule II controlled substance (oxycodone) with intent to distribute, possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance (clonazepam) with intent to distribute, possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance (alprazolam) with intent to distribute, and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. She was sentenced to 15 years in prison with the possibility of parole.
- Terry Raymond Spriggs, 53, of Canton, pled guilty on August 11, 2025, to trafficking methamphetamine, theft by receiving stolen property, and theft by receiving property stolen in another state. He was sentenced as a recidivist to 20 years in prison and must serve his entire prison term without the possibility of parole.
“Let this outcome serve as a clear warning: drug trafficking will not be tolerated in Cherokee County,” said District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway.
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