A Newnan, Georgia man involved in Darrin Southall's drug trafficking organization was sentenced in federal court on February 27, 2025. Edward Ray Antoine Jr., 42, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine in April 2024.
Court documents reveal that Antoine, known as "Easy," had connections with drug suppliers in Texas and was an associate of Southall. Federal investigators intercepted telephone calls between Antoine and Southall, where they used coded language to disguise their activities. They shared a courier who transported multi-kilogram cocaine shipments and large sums of cash between Southall and the Texas suppliers using a pickup truck registered to Antoine's wife. The truck had an exterior fuel tank with a false bottom for concealing drugs and money. Until January 2022, calls between Antoine and Southall were related to the courier’s trips. A federal investigation led to the seizure of $322,000 from the courier's truck compartment. Further intercepted calls discussed recovering the seized cash and informing the suppliers awaiting delivery.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose sentenced Antoine to 10 years' imprisonment, ordered sentences to run concurrently, followed by five years of supervised release during which he will undergo testing for substance abuse and be subject to searches based on reasonable suspicion. He must also pay $200 in special assessments.
The Mobile Police Department, Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Saraland Police Department, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office in Louisiana, and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted it on behalf of the United States.
This investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation aimed at identifying and dismantling high-level criminal organizations through a coordinated effort involving multiple law enforcement agencies.