The curtain has finally closed on a sweeping multi-state drug conspiracy with the sentencing of its last member, Anthony Hines of Memphis, TN. As reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, Hines, aged 46, was given a 125-month stint in federal prison for his part in distributing narcotics across West Tennessee.
Initiated by the DEA and the Henry County Metro Narcotics Task Force, the operation unearthed Terry Smith's role in orchestrating significant shipments of drugs, which included methamphetamine, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, into West Tennessee. Smith, together with his network—including Hines—facilitated the distribution of these substances, using contraband devices from several states to coordinate their delivery.
The scale of the operation was considerable. According to court documents, Smith and his accomplices were responsible for circulating roughly 119 pounds of methamphetamine and thousands of fentanyl pills, among other narcotics. Law enforcement physically confiscated large quantities of these drugs in their efforts to dismantle the group's activities.
Over ten defendants have faced sentences ranging from time served to 240 months, accompanied by varying periods of supervised release. As each faced justice, they contributed to untangling the complex web spun by this criminal network spread across states. United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson, handing down the sentences, ensured that the long arm of the law reached individuals driven by the dark incentive to profiteer from addiction and despair.
This comprehensive crackdown falls under the umbrella of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces' (OCDETF) mission to target significant threats to U.S. security. A collaboration of federal, state, and local agencies, including the DEA, various police departments, the U.S. Marshals Service, and others, joined forces to advance this mission, coordinating to break the backbone of this and similar drug trafficking operations.
In giving credit where it’s due, Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren expressed gratitude toward Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Davis and Hillary Parham, along with the investigative teams that brought this poly-drug conspiracy to an end. Their relentless pursuit of justice speaks to the commitment of various arms of law enforcement in keeping illicit drugs off the streets and holding accountable those who seek to spread this poison through our communities.
