Birmingham Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge yesterday sentenced a Birmingham man in connection with his involvement in a 2018 cocaine trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.

U.S. District Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Prentice Delawrence Tanniehill, 46, of Birmingham, Alabama, to 180 months in prison.  Tanniehill pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, five separate instances of distributing cocaine, and five counts of using a telephone to commit a drug crime.

“Multiple law enforcement agencies worked together with our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force to disrupt this drug trafficking conspiracy and put Tanniehill in prison,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “Our efforts to reduce the flow of illegal drugs into our communities depend on the skill and determination of our law enforcement partners, and we are grateful for their excellent work in this case.”

“I’m proud of the outstanding work by the FBI North Alabama Safe Streets Task Force to remove Tanniehill from the streets and hold him accountable for his actions,” said FBI SAC Johnnie Sharp, Jr.

The indictment charged Tanniehill with a cocaine distribution conspiracy that involved over five kilograms of cocaine and spanned from July 2017 to October 2018.  During this time, Tanniehill sold cocaine to an FBI confidential source on five distinct occasions.

This case is a part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

FBI investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and member agencies of the FBI North Alabama Safe Streets Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory R. Dimler prosecuted the case.