HUNTSVILLE– An Etowah County man will serve 19 years in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking involving more than 800 grams of the drug.
U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Phillip Trent Waldrop, 46, of Altoona, to 228 months in prison. Waldrop also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama announced the sentence Thursday, November 12.
Two Searches Uncover Methamphetamine
According to the announcement, federal agents conducted several controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Waldrop during a month in spring 2023.
Those purchases then led agents to obtain a search warrant for his residence. During the May 16, 2023, search, agents also found approximately 270 grams of methamphetamine.
However, authorities said Waldrop later returned to selling drugs. In April 2024, officers again searched his residence and seized roughly 560 grams of methamphetamine.
Together, the two searches uncovered approximately 830 grams of the drug.
Federal and Local Agencies Investigate
U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. said the sentence reflects cooperation among federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.
“Methamphetamine trafficking fuels addiction, destroys families, and threatens the safety of our communities,” Williams said.
He also said his office would continue working with those partners to keep dangerous drugs off the streets.
Meanwhile, FBI Birmingham Special Agent in Charge David R. Fitzgibbons credited the partnership with disrupting a significant methamphetamine source. He also emphasized that no single agency can tackle drug trafficking alone.
The FBI investigated the case alongside the Etowah County Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carson R. Gilbert prosecuted it.
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