Etowah County Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - An Etowah County man has been sentenced for drug trafficking involving more than 800 grams of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.

U.S. District Court Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Phillip Trent Waldrop, 46, of Altoona, Alabama, to 228 months in prison. Waldrop pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine.

"Methamphetamine trafficking fuels addiction, destroys families, and threatens the safety of our communities," said U.S. Attorney Williams. "This 19-year prison sentence sends a clear message that those who profit from dangerous drugs will face serious consequences. This outcome is a direct result of the united front among our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. Together, we will continue working to keep dangerous drugs off our streets."

"The FBI remains committed to moving resources from the National Capitol Region to where they are needed most to address the threats that have the greatest impact on our communities," said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Birmingham. "This investigation demonstrates the strength of our partnerships with the Etowah County Drug Enforcement Unit and the U.S. Attorney's Office. No single agency can tackle drug trafficking alone. By working together, we disrupted a significant source of methamphetamine and helped make our communities safer. Let this sentence serve as a warning to those who profit from drugs and violence: Justice Will Find You."

Over a one-month period in the spring of 2023, federal agents conducted a series of controlled buys of methamphetamine from Waldrop. Those buys led agents to obtain a search warrant for Waldrop's residence, which was executed on May 16, 2023. That search resulted in agents finding approximately 270 grams of methamphetamine at Waldrop's home. A year later, in April 2024, officers again searched Waldrop's residence after he returned to selling drugs, seizing roughly 560 grams of methamphetamine.

FBI investigated the case along with the Etowah County Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carson R. Gilbert prosecuted the case.