Marshall County Man Sentenced to 20 Years
Marshall County, Ala. – A Marshall County man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in connection with a fentanyl-related overdose that claimed the life of a 26-year-old resident in 2022.
Circuit Court Judge Chris Abel handed down the maximum sentence Wednesday to Alex Hollingsworth, who pleaded guilty to Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance with an Aggravating Factor (Distribution Caused Death). Prosecutors said Hollingsworth sold cocaine laced with fentanyl to the victim, who later died after ingesting the mixture.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Mark Hopper and Riley Chandler. District Attorney Jennifer Bray said the sentence reflects both accountability and the devastating toll fentanyl has taken on local families.
“As Assistant District Attorney Mark Hopper said in court, there are no winners here,” Bray stated. “A life was lost and a family forever changed. But accountability must stand. When individuals choose to sell drugs, especially in a time where fentanyl is so often present, they do so knowing it could result in death and prison.”
The death was one of five fentanyl-related overdoses reported in Marshall County between February 25 and 27, 2022. Two of those overdoses were fatal. The string of cases prompted the Marshall County Coroner’s Office to notify the Marshall County Drug Task Force, sparking a multi-agency investigation involving the Albertville, Boaz, and Guntersville Police Departments, as well as the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.
Prosecutors noted that Hollingsworth’s case proceeded without a plea deal. He entered what is known as a “blind plea,” in which no promises are made regarding sentencing. After hearing arguments, Judge Abel imposed the maximum penalty allowed under state law.
Bray credited law enforcement and prosecutors with working tirelessly to bring the case to a conclusion, while also urging the community to remember the families affected.
“This case would have a sad ending, no matter what happened in court this morning,” she said. “Two families have been forever changed. We mourn the loss of life and continue to stand with the families affected by this crisis. We hope this sentence sends a clear message: fentanyl kills, and those who distribute it will be held responsible.”
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https://weisradio.com/2025/08/27/two-arrested-in-marshall-county-on-child-pornography-charges/
