A Birmingham heroin supplier, identified as Harding, has been sentenced to 365 months in prison following his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Court documents revealed that Harding was introduced to a conspirator from Baldwin County, Alabama, by another individual in Birmingham. This connection facilitated the transportation of heroin from Birmingham to Daphne, Alabama, where it was distributed to local dealers.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) conducted a court-authorized wiretap on two local conspirators and identified Harding as the primary supplier. During one monitored phone call, a drug shipment was intercepted on I-65 in Baldwin County by sheriff's deputies who seized approximately 205 grams of heroin hidden in a rental car trunk. The driver, Quantis Clark, was arrested and later pled guilty to conspiracy charges. He received a five-year prison sentence.
While preparing to arrest Harding in Birmingham, FBI agents discovered concurrent investigations by Homeland Security and Alabama Law Enforcement agents into Harding's drug activities. In September 2019, authorities executed a search warrant at Harding’s residence seizing eight firearms and significant quantities of drugs including heroin and cocaine. Harding was subsequently arrested in October 2019 under an indictment from the Southern District of Alabama.
Court documents further indicated that Harding held a leadership role within the drug conspiracy and had an extensive criminal history with prior felony convictions over four decades. United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed the sentence during a hearing on March 19. Following his prison term, Harding will serve four years of supervised release with conditions for drug testing and treatment. Additionally, probation officers may search his person or property if there is reasonable suspicion of supervision violations. No fine was levied; however, he must pay $100 in special mandatory assessments.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the FBI, Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, Baldwin County Drug Task Force among others with Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuting the case for the United States.
This case formed part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation aimed at dismantling high-level criminal networks through collaborative efforts among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.