Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Fentanyl

MACON, Ga. –  A convicted felon with two prior federal drug distribution convictions pleaded guilty to fentanyl trafficking and faces up to 40 years in prison for his crime.

Antonio Whitehead, 36, of Macon, Georgia, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl before Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on April 3. Whitehead faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine. The sentencing and revocation hearing is June 5. The defendant is not eligible for parole.

“Fentanyl kills, pure and simple. Those who choose to traffic this deadly drug into our communities will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office will do everything we can to support our law enforcement partners’ efforts to rid our communities of fentanyl and make them safer for everyone.”

“Despite previous convictions, Whitehead continued to plague our communities with fentanyl, fueling the deadliest drug epidemic our country has ever seen,” said Robert Gibbs, Senior Supervisor Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “This conviction demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to work diligently along with our local and federal partners to investigate and remove the leaders of these drug trafficking operations from our streets.”

According to court documents, Whitehead was under supervised release for two prior federal drug distribution convictions in the Southern District of West Virginia when the car he was traveling in was stopped for multiple violations on Georgia Highway 401 by a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy conducting traffic enforcement on Feb. 20, 2023. The officer smelled drugs and the driver had a suspended license. In addition, both the driver and Whitehead, who was a passenger, made inconsistent statements. As backup arrived, and a probable search was being conducted on the vehicle, Whitehead ran to the driver’s seat and attempted to drive away. An officer shot out the rear tires of the vehicle to prevent a high-speed chase and the defendant was arrested. Inside the vehicle, officers located a suitcase which contained plastic bags filled with 207 grams of fentanyl, 554 grams of methamphetamine and 101 grams of cocaine. Whitehead also had several bags of marijuana and a bag of fentanyl on him. Whitehead told officers the driver had nothing to do with the found drugs.

The case was investigated by the Monroe County Sherriff’s Office and the FBI.

Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government with support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels.