Sean P. Costello U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama
Several individuals from Baldwin County were sentenced to prison for their roles in a methamphetamine-trafficking organization, according to an announcement on Mar. 23 by U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama.
The case involves a drug-trafficking group led by Douglas McArthur Watts, Jr., which distributed large quantities of methamphetamine between June 2022 and July 2024. Law enforcement agents seized significant amounts of drugs, firearms, cash, and other evidence from members of the organization during this period.
Court documents show that Watts and five others—Daryl Wayne Thomas, David Joel Murphy, Benny Joe Ray, Jr., Danielle Lea Morris, and Jack Carnell Rowe—pleaded guilty to participating in the operation. Agents conducted multiple controlled purchases involving various amounts of methamphetamine at several locations across Baldwin County in 2023 and 2024. Notable seizures included more than three kilograms of methamphetamine and over 221 grams of fentanyl during a search warrant execution at a supplier's apartment in Pensacola, Florida.
U.S. District Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Watts to 120 months in prison with ten years supervised release; Thomas received 141 months with five years supervised release; Murphy was given 131 months with ten years supervised release; Ray was sentenced to sixty months with five years supervised release. Morris and Rowe are scheduled for sentencing at a later date. The court ordered each defendant to undergo drug testing and treatment during their supervision periods while Murphy will also receive mental health evaluation and treatment.
The investigation was carried out by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office (Florida), and Florida Highway Patrol.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established under Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The task force brings together federal agencies such as Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), DEA, ATF, as well as local law enforcement partners to target criminal organizations operating within the United States.
