A federal judge has sentenced Anthony Hines, 46, from Memphis, Tennessee, to over ten years in prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking operation in West Tennessee. The sentence marks the conclusion of a multi-defendant and multi-state drug conspiracy case. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), alongside the Henry County Metro Narcotics task force, initiated an investigation in early 2019 into narcotics distribution in West Tennessee. Evidence presented in court showed that Terry Smith, 38, also from Memphis, orchestrated shipments of methamphetamine, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl using contraband cellular devices from Texas, Arizona, and California. These drugs were then distributed by Smith's network of co-conspirators including Hines across regions extending from Western Kentucky to Northwest Mississippi.
Law enforcement agents determined that Smith and his associates were responsible for distributing approximately 119 pounds of methamphetamine along with other drugs throughout West Tennessee and nearby areas. Agents seized significant quantities of these substances during the investigation.
On May 15, 2023, Hines pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On March 24, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced him to 125 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole available under the federal system.
Several co-conspirators have already been sentenced:
- Terry Smith received a sentence of 240 months.
- Rodney Ayers was sentenced to 180 months.
- James Dumas received a sentence of 150 months.
- Kayla Henderson was sentenced to 80 months.
- Dustin Chambers received a sentence of 120 months.
- Horace McNeary was sentenced to 130 months.
- Brianna Norsworthy received a sentence of 110 months.
- Jessica Vestal was sentenced to 80 months.
- Michael Broady served time equivalent to a period of 13 months.
- Jermichael Buggs received a sentence of 84 months.
- Christopher Hamilton was sentenced to 60 months.
- Teddy Reed received a sentence of 63 months.
- Aerielle Coleman was sentenced to 30 months.
- Danielle Cunningham served time equivalent to her detention period.
- Tracy Coleman served an equivalent period of time detained for her charges.
- Johnnie McGhee was sentenced to serve two months.
This case formed part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations through collaboration between federal and local law enforcement agencies.
The DEA collaborated with multiple agencies including the West Tennessee Drug Task Force; Jackson Police Department; Jackson-Madison County Metro-Narcotics; Madison County Sheriff’s Department; Paris Police Department; Henry County Sheriff’s Department; Murray Police Department; Kentucky State Police; Arkansas State Police; and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren acknowledged Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Davis and Hillary Parham who prosecuted this case as well as law enforcement partners involved in the investigation.
For further information contact USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov or follow updates on Facebook or X at @WDTNNews.
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