Birmingham Man Sentenced to 14 ½ Years in Prison on Gun and Drug Charges

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. –A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a Birmingham man on gun and drug charges, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay Morris.

U.S. District Judge Annemarie Axon sentenced Edwin “Fats” Pettaway, 48, to 174 months in prison, and five years of supervision following his release from prison.

Pettaway was charged with possession with intent to distribute 8 ounces of crack cocaine and with possession of a loaded 9mm pistol in furtherance of a drug felony. A federal jury convicted Pettaway in July 2019.  According to court testimony, law enforcement had not seen this amount of crack in one place at one time in years.  Pettaway was found in possession of a 5.56 caliber Bushmaster semi-automatic rifle loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition and 29 hydrocodone pills.

“There is zero tolerance in the Northern District for those in possession of firearms while dealing deadly narcotics,” Town said.  “Pettaway has now been given bed space in federal prison with no sanctuary of parole.”

The DEA investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Simpson and John Camp prosecuted.