Defendants in conspiracy to distribute cathinone through Facebook messaging receive multi-year sentences

BRUNSWICK, Georgia:  Two defendants associated with a drug distribution conspiracy have been sentenced to federal prison.

The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood and announced by Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Alen Addison, 54, of Brunswick, Georgia, was sentenced to 82 months in prison and a $1,500 fine followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Substituted Cathinone. 

His co-defendant, Minus Tyler, 45, of Brunswick, was previously sentenced to 48 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release after pleading guilty to Use of a Communication Facility. 

There is no parole in the federal system.

As described in court documents and testimony, from April 2023 through August 2023, Addison and Tyler conspired to distribute cathinone in Glynn County. The two defendants utilized Facebook Messenger as a method to communicate the sale and distribution of cathinone. 

Synthetic cathinones are derivatives of the naturally occurring compound cathinone, the main psychoactive ingredient in the khat plant Catha edulis. Like amphetamines, synthetic cathinones are psychomotor stimulants that exert their effects by impairing normal brain functions. Overall, a National Library of Medicine study of the Neuropharmacology of Synthetic Cathinones shows that certain synthetic cathinones are powerful drugs of abuse that could pose significant risk to users.

“Synthetic substances like cathinone are a real threat to communities,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “This investigation was the result of intuitive law enforcement that succeeded in identifying the pathway of these illicit drugs, tracing it to the distributor and resulted in this prosecution, and protecting our citizens from these dangerous substances.”

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Glynn County Sheriff’s Office. 

“The outcome of this case is a testament to the professionalism and perseverance of the investigators who worked together throughout this investigation,” said Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “DEA and our partner agencies combined resources, expertise, and investigative information to uncover the scope of the conspiracy and build a case for prosecution. We are grateful for the commitment of every agency and individual who contributed to this joint effort.”

This case was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. Harper III and Jennifer J. Kirkland.