Sean P. Costello U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama
James Walker Stewart, aged 38, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison following his arrest on November 18, 2023, in Atmore, Alabama. The arrest occurred during a traffic stop where law enforcement officers discovered Stewart with half a kilogram of bulk fentanyl, alongside a small quantity of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Stewart confessed to collaborating with Zachary Heaton Thaggard, who was involved in picking up the fentanyl in Atlanta, Georgia, with the intention of delivering it to Pensacola, Florida. Additionally, Stewart acknowledged orchestrating the fentanyl deal with Justin Brian Melton, an accomplice who was detained in an Alabama prison. Melton arranged the transaction using a smuggled cell phone. The investigation of Stewart’s cell phone unveiled text messages, visuals, and other records of his narcotics distribution activities with Melton and others.
Apart from the 120-month imprisonment, United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose mandated a 10-year supervised release for Stewart post-incarceration. During this period, he will undergo drug tests and treatment. Stewart was also ordered to pay $200 in special assessments, though no fine was imposed. Melton and Thaggard received previous sentences of 210 months and 30 months in prison, respectively, for their involvement in the conspiracy.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
