Four North Alabama Residents Indicted in Federal Fentanyl and Meth Trafficking Case
Four individuals from Alabama and Arizona are facing federal drug trafficking charges after being indicted for their roles in a large-scale narcotics operation involving fentanyl and methamphetamine, according to a joint announcement by U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, DEA Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer (New Orleans Division), and USPIS Inspector in Charge Shameka Jackson.
A six-count indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court charges the following individuals:
• Justin Jamal Fletcher, 37, of Sheffield, Alabama
• Larikus Martez Armstead, 37, of Sheffield, Alabama
• Terance Antonio Williams, 41, of Florence, Alabama
• Angelita Guadalupe Garcia-Ruiz, 47, of Nogales, Arizona
All four are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Additional charges include distribution of a controlled substance for Armstead and Williams, possession with intent to distribute for Fletcher, and unlawful use of a communication facility for Garcia-Ruiz.
According to the indictment, Fletcher received two separate shipments of fentanyl pills through the U.S. Mail. On July 17, 2024, Fletcher allegedly accepted a package containing 10,000 pills, followed by another package on August 28, 2024, containing more than 29,000 fentanyl pills sent by Garcia-Ruiz. The indictment further alleges that Fletcher’s drug supply originated in Mexico, where he coordinated the trafficking of fentanyl and methamphetamine into the United States.
The investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative focused on dismantling drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), with support from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) led the investigation, with assistance from the Lauderdale County and Colbert County Drug Task Forces.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John M. Hundscheid and Sara M. Judah are prosecuting the case.
