Federal Drug Conspirators Sentenced

MOBILE, AL – Five members of a federal drug conspiracy were sentenced on September 6 in federal court. Eric Maurice Moseley, 37, of Grand Bay, Alabama; Hardy Devan Forrest, 35, also of Grand Bay; Markell Durrell Moore, 36, of Mobile; Zyshonne Osilk Smith, 25, of Grand Bay; and Bryan Dion Campbell, 30, of Mobile, each appeared before United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose in separate sentencing hearings. Moseley pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in November of 2023. In October of 2023, Forrest pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking felony, and felon in possession of a firearm. Moore pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in December of 2023. Smith pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking felony in August of 2023.

Otis Sanders, Jr., was alleged to be the organizer and manager of the drug distribution conspiracy. Sanders and two other members of the conspiracy were convicted in April of 2024 by a jury of multiple counts involving conspiracy and drug trafficking, including specific instances of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Evidence from that trial established that Sanders operated a large, interstate distribution organization in which he obtained methamphetamine from suppliers in Texas for distribution in Mobile County. Sanders hired couriers to get money to Texas and return to Mobile with the drugs. The evidence showed that some of the couriers rode commercial buses for that round trip, and others used private vehicles for their transportation. Drugs were stored residences in Moss Point, Mississippi, and in south Mobile County until they were packaged into smaller amounts for distribution to local dealers.  

Investigators made controlled buys of methamphetamine from Sanders and other members of the organization, including Smith, Campbell and Forrest. Search warrants were executed at their residences where additional amounts of drugs were seized. Investigators also found and seized guns at Smith’s residence and Forrest’s residence. Court documents show that in August of 2022, Moseley was arrested with another conspirator in a vehicle by St. Tammany Parish sheriff’s deputies traveling from New Orleans to Mobile with 4 kilograms of methamphetamine ice and a pistol in their vehicle. Additional amounts of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine were seized at Moseley’s residence in Mobile shortly after his arrest. Moore was arrested on June of 2023 at his residence where investigators seized two firearms. Other members of the conspiracy, including Sanders, were arrested that date. Numerous firearms and additional quantities of methamphetamine were seized during the arrests. One firearm seized was a Glock handgun equipped with a machine gun conversion device, which illegally converts a semi-automatic handgun into a machine gun. Sanders was also identified as the instigator in a drive-by shooting on Ramsay Road in south Mobile County.  

Evidence from Sanders’ trial established that the shooting resulted after Sanders did not pay one of his couriers for the delivery a shipment of 10 or 20 kilograms of methamphetamine to Mobile. Sanders drove by a residence associated with the courier and Zyshonne Osilk Smith, who was one of his distributors, on Ramsay Road, and fired shots at them in the yard. A gun battle ensued. Mobile County sheriff’s deputies responded when a complainant notified them that one of the bullets had penetrated her trailer and lodged in the wall above her bed, where she was lying when she heard the shots.   Sanders abandoned his silver Suburban in the road near the intersection with Highway 188. The deputies impounded the vehicle and seized shell casings inside the vehicle, establishing that Sanders had fired shots from the interior of the vehicle. Sanders attempted to have Bryan Dion Campbell tow the vehicle before law enforcement arrived, but they were already present and investigating at that location when the wrecker driver arrived. Photographs of the Suburban were introduced into evidence at Sanders’ trial, showing the vehicle had been struck by numerous bullets and the tires on the driver’s side were shredded by gunshots. Sanders was convicted by a jury on 12 counts and sentenced to 20 years in federal prison in July of 2024. Court documents established that Forrest, Campbell, Moore, Moseley and Smith were distributors for Sanders, and Forrest and Moseley stored larger quantities of methamphetamine for Sanders at their residences at his instruction. Moseley also acted as one of Sanders’ couriers to bring shipments of methamphetamine from Houston, Texas, to Mobile for further distribution here. 

Judge Dubose sentenced Moseley to 75 months in prison on both counts, with the sentences to run concurrently. Moseley will also serve 5 years of supervised release following his imprisonment. The judge ordered that Moseley would be subjects to standard conditions of supervised release, as well as certain special conditions, including drug and alcohol testing and treatment and the model search provision, which permits a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion that he has violated his supervision. He was also ordered to pay $200 in special mandatory assessments. No fine was imposed.

The judge sentenced Forrest to 150 months imprisonment on the drug counts and the felon in possession count with those sentences to run concurrently.  Forrest was sentenced an additional 5 years on the gun charge, which was ordered to run consecutively. The judge ordered Forrest to serve 5 years of supervised release following his release from imprisonment. The same conditions as those imposed for Moseley’s supervision were likewise imposed for Forrest. Forrest was ordered to pay $400 in special mandatory assessments. No fine was imposed.

Moore was sentenced to 120 months in prison on the drug count and 90 months imprisonment on the felon in possession charge, with the sentences to run concurrently. Moore will also serve 5 years of supervised release following his imprisonment. Moseley will also be subject to the same conditions as those imposed for his codefendants. He was ordered to pay $200 in special mandatory assessments. No fine was imposed. 

Campbell was sentenced to 105 months in prison on both counts, with the sentences to run concurrently. Campbell will also serve 5 years of supervised release following his imprisonment. Campbell will also be subject to the same conditions as those imposed for his codefendants. He was ordered to pay $200 in special mandatory assessments. No fine was imposed. 

Smith was sentenced to 90 months in prison, consisting of 30 months on the drug count and 60 onths on the gun count, which will run consecutively. The judge ordered that Smith will serve a 5 year term of supervised release to follow his imprisonment. Smith will be subject to the same conditions of supervised release as the other defendants. He was ordered to pay $200 in special mandatory assessments. No fine was imposed.   

The case was investigated by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security, the Beaumont Police (Texas) Department, the St. Tammany Parish (Louisiana) Sheriff’s Office, and the Mobile Police Department. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

The investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF)  operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organization that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.