Kevin P. Davidson, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama
A Montgomery man has been sentenced to 24 years in federal prison for his role in a cocaine trafficking operation. Vanshun Traywick, 46, received a 288-month sentence following his conviction on drug conspiracy charges, according to Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson.
The investigation began in 2020 when law enforcement suspected a drug-trafficking operation was transporting cocaine from Texas to Montgomery. Evidence presented at Traywick's trial showed he ordered kilogram quantities of cocaine from Michael Golden, 45, based in Houston. The drugs were delivered by another co-conspirator, Rufus Flanagan, 57, also from Houston. On October 20, 2020, officers found approximately one kilogram of cocaine during a traffic stop of Flanagan's semi-truck.
Traywick was also involved in purchasing smaller quantities of cocaine locally. On October 13, 2020, he bought two ounces from Deneco Nettles, a co-conspirator aged 51 and also from Montgomery. Traywick was found guilty on two counts of conspiracy to distribute cocaine after his trial concluded on September 25, 2024.
Golden, Flanagan, and Nettles all pleaded guilty to federal drug conspiracy charges last year. Nettles received an 18-month sentence on June 18, 2024; Flanagan was sentenced to 27 months in December of the same year. Golden is scheduled for sentencing on April 8, 2025.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations using a collaborative approach among various law enforcement agencies.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation with support from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and Montgomery Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Wilson, Mark E. Andreu, and Justin L. Jones prosecuted the case.
