Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Karen Loeffler announced that Dolphus Tarvares Griffin, was
sentenced in federal court in Anchorage to 150 months in prison for his conviction of a drug trafficking
conspiracy. Griffin currently resides in Anchorage, but is one of five individuals from Grenada,
Mississippi, charged with drug trafficking offenses in Anchorage this year. Griffin’s co-defendant, David
Tidwell, has pled guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and possession of firearms and ammunition in
furtherance of drug trafficking. Tidwell’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 12, 2012. On May 31,
2012, Anthony Johnson, an associate of Griffin’s, received a sentence of 9 months for possession of crack
cocaine with intent to distribute. Two other individuals from Grenada, Mississippi, Prentiss Johnson and
Gregory Winters, are pending sentencing for separate indictments charging distribution of crack cocaine.
Chief U.S. District Court Ralph R. Beistline imposed the sentence on Griffin, 32.
According to Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin White Bradley, who prosecuted the case,
Griffin, working with his co-defendant, David Tidwell, distributed over 284 grams of crack cocaine
during the fall of last year. Law enforcement arrested Griffin on December 15, 2011. At the time of his
arrest, Griffin was in a vehicle with Anthony Johnson, who threw a bundle of crack cocaine, weighing 8.3
grams, underneath the vehicle. A female passenger had a purse containing over $6,000 in cash, and a
swab of the cash tested positive for the presence of cocaine. Later that day, law enforcement executed a
search warrant of Tidwell’s residence, where they recovered over $20,000 in cash, over 300 grams of
cocaine, a Ruger 9mm pistol and a Ruger .40 caliber pistol. The cash and firearms will be forfeited to the
United States.
In fashioning a sentence, the Court noted the serious nature of the conspiracy charge, along with a
need to protect the community and to deter Griffin and others from committing similar crimes. The Court
also noted Griffin’s lengthy history involving drugs and guns. In 1998, Griffin received a 48-month
sentence in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi for the crime of distributing
crack cocaine.
Ms. Loeffler commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the
investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Griffin and the other individuals in this case.
SAUSA Bradley is a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office who is funded by the Municipality
of Anchorage for the purpose of prosecuting gang-related and violent crime cases.

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