Sean P. Costello U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama
A Georgia man, Justin Brian Melton, has been sentenced to over 17 years in prison for orchestrating drug trafficking operations from within an Alabama prison. According to court documents, Melton, aged 35, was previously convicted of heroin trafficking in Mobile County's Circuit Court in 2022 and received a 20-year sentence at Ventress prison in Clayton, Alabama.
While incarcerated between March 2023 and May 2024, Melton used contraband cell phones to coordinate the shipment of fentanyl and methamphetamine from Atlanta into southern Alabama. In November 2023, authorities arrested one of Melton’s coconspirators in Atmore, Alabama. The arrest led to the seizure of half a kilogram of fentanyl that had been transported from Atlanta as part of a deal arranged by Melton.
Investigations revealed that messages on the coconspirator’s phone detailed coordination efforts with Melton regarding drug transactions. AT&T records showed that the contraband phones used by Melton were registered under his name and consistently connected to a cell tower near Ventress prison during the conspiracy period. Recorded communications also indicated that Melton utilized these phones while incarcerated.
Chief United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock sentenced Melton to a 210-month imprisonment term followed by ten years of supervised release with mandatory drug testing and treatment. Although no fine was imposed, Judge Beaverstock ordered Melton to pay $200 in special assessments.
The case was announced by U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello for the Southern District of Alabama and investigated by multiple agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration and local sheriff's offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
