Arizona Men Sentenced, Charged in Large-Scale Drug Trafficking to South Carolina, Alabama

Two separate major drug trafficking cases involving Arizona men have led to federal charges and sentencing in 2025. Antonie Elbert Eaddy was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana across multiple states, including South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, and Florida, using mail and couriers to transport drugs and money. Eaddy and four co-conspirators pleaded guilty and will also face supervised release after incarceration. Separately, Ignacio Miguel Tirado-Castillo, 19, was charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute about 25 pounds of carfentanil, a fentanyl analogue far more potent and dangerous than fentanyl, shipped to Alabama; he was arrested in Phoenix and ordered detained pending trial. The carfentanil case is part of Operation Take Back America, a federal initiative targeting drug trafficking networks, with potential penalties including life imprisonment. Both cases highlight ongoing federal efforts to combat opioid and drug trafficking across state lines.