Foley Methamphetamine Dealer Who Led Deputies on a High-Speed Chase Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison in Homeland Security Task Force Case

MOBILE, AL - A Foley man was sentenced to 324 months in prison dealing bulk methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Corinthius Shatuel Woodard, 30, pleaded guilty to participating in a vast drug-trafficking organization ("DTO") responsible for distributing bulk methamphetamine and fentanyl between August 2022 and July 2024. Woodard supplied multiple pounds of pure methamphetamine to various customers in the Baldwin County area.

On May 9, 2024, police in Robertsdale seized crack cocaine and cocaine from a vehicle being driven by one of Woodard's conspirators, which Woodard admitted was his rental car. Agents searched a phone seized from Woodard's conspirator and found numerous text messages between Woodard and the conspirator about setting up drug deals.

Four days later, on May 13, 2024, Baldwin County Sheriff's Office deputies conducted a traffic stop of two of Woodard's drug conspirators in Foley. Deputies seized more than 200 grams of pure methamphetamine and more than 50 grams of fentanyl pills from the car, which was occupied by three children. Deputies seized phones belonging to Woodard's conspirators and again found numerous messages from Woodard about setting up drug deals.

On May 17, 2024, two of Woodard's drug conspirators led deputies on a high-speed chase in Foley. Deputies eventually arrested the conspirators and seized nearly a kilogram of pure methamphetamine from them. Deputies also seized a cell phone belonging to one of the conspirators and again located messages from Woodard about setting up drug deals.

On June 15, 2024, Baldwin County deputies attempted to stop Woodard's rental vehicle in Foley. Woodard took off on a high-speed chase with three young children in the back seat of the car. During the chase, dash and body-worn camera videos depicted Woodard throwing a large plastic bag into the roadway. The bag contained more than 300 grams of pure methamphetamine. Deputies caught up with Woodard and arrested him, finding small amounts of cocaine and marijuana in the car. Deputies seized Woodard's cell phone and found dozens of messages he sent about setting up drug deals and having associates "wash dirty money" for him.

On July 9, 2024, federal agents searched the apartment of one of the DTO's methamphetamine suppliers in Pensacola, Florida. During that search, agents seized more than three kilograms of pure methamphetamine, more than 220 grams of fentanyl, several loaded firearms, and more than $56,000 in cash.

At the time Woodard committed his drug-trafficking crimes, he had several prior felony convictions, including a serious violent felony conviction in 2018 for shooting into an occupied vehicle.

In addition to the 324-month prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered Woodard to serve a ten-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time Woodard will be subject to drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Woodard to pay $100 in special assessments.

U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office, the Foley Police Department, and the Robertsdale Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

This prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Mobile comprises agents and officers from, among others, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Alabama.