BIRMINGHAM– Three Anniston men are among four defendants named in a 12-count federal indictment alleging a Calhoun County-based drug-trafficking conspiracy that operated for more than two years.

U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. announced that the indictment had been unsealed. The case resulted from an investigation led by the Homeland Security Task Force.

The indictment names 43-year-old Theron Samuel Johnson, 56-year-old Jeffrey Leon Battle, and 42-year-old Toney Courtez Jenkins, all of Anniston. It also names 49-year-old Samuel Lane Jr. of Oxford.

Four Defendants Face Federal Drug Charges

Federal prosecutors charged all four men with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances. The substances named in the indictment include methamphetamine, cocaine base, cocaine, and marijuana.

The alleged conspiracy operated between November 2023 and April 2026, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The defendants also face several individual distribution counts.

The indictment includes special grand jury findings concerning the quantity of methamphetamine allegedly connected to the conspiracy.

Prosecutors allege the conspiracy involved 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. They also allege it involved 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.

The indictment attributes those alleged drug quantities to all four defendants as part of the conspiracy.

Jenkins and Lane Face Additional Firearm Charges

Jenkins and Lane face additional federal firearm charges.

Prosecutors charged both men with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. They also face charges of being felons in possession of firearms.

The indictment does not represent a finding of guilt. Instead, it contains the formal allegations that federal prosecutors must prove in court.

Indictment Seeks Enhanced Penalties

Federal prosecutors are also seeking enhanced penalties based on prior convictions involving several defendants.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Johnson was convicted in a 2010 federal case in the Northern District of Alabama. That case included convictions for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute cocaine base, cocaine, and marijuana.

Johnson was also convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and marijuana. In addition, the case included a conviction for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime.

Battle was previously convicted of conspiracy to levy war against the United States. That conviction came in a 2002 federal case in the District of Oregon.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said publicly available information connects Battle’s conviction to efforts to join the Taliban following the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Lane was previously convicted of two counts of first-degree robbery, according to federal prosecutors.

Those previous convictions relate to the government’s request for enhanced penalties. They do not establish guilt in the current Calhoun County case.

Local and Federal Agencies Conduct Investigation

The Homeland Security Task Force led the investigation with assistance from several federal, state, and local agencies.

Assisting agencies included the United States Postal Inspection Service and the 7th Judicial Circuit Major Crimes Unit. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency also participated.

Local agencies included the Anniston Police Department, Oxford Police Department, and Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison J. Garnett is prosecuting the case for the Northern District of Alabama.

Case Part of Homeland Security Task Force Initiative

Federal officials said the operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative. The federal government established the initiative under Executive Order 14159, titled “Protecting the American People Against Invasion.”

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the task force brings federal, state, and local agencies together to investigate criminal organizations. Its broader mission includes cases involving cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, human smuggling, and human trafficking.

The Alabama Homeland Security Task Force includes agents and officers from several federal agencies. Those agencies include the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations.

The task force also includes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Federal Bureau of Investigation; United States Marshals Service; and Internal Revenue Service.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama leads federal prosecutions connected to the task force.

The release announcing the unsealed indictment did not provide information about the defendants’ custody status or upcoming court appearances.

An indictment contains allegations and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

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