Sean P. Costello U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama
A Mobile man linked to Darrin Southall's drug trafficking organization has been sentenced in federal court. Nathaniel Hines, aged 41, pleaded guilty in August 2021 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Court documents reveal that Hines was one of Southall's distributors and was listed in Southall’s drug ledgers. During the investigation, federal investigators intercepted telephone calls between Hines and Southall, who used coded language to conceal their activities. These communications documented that Hines received multiple kilograms of cocaine for distribution in Mobile. The analysis of seized cell phones provided further evidence against him. In total, about 30 members of Southall's organization have faced prosecution in federal court so far.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose sentenced Hines to 75 months' imprisonment. Post-release, he will serve five years on supervised release with conditions including testing and treatment for substance abuse and being subject to searches based on reasonable suspicion. Additionally, Hines must pay $100 in special assessments and forfeit any interest in a list of seized property to the United States.
The investigation involved several law enforcement agencies including the Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, among others. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case for the United States.
